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Tenjing Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

What's the difference in meaning?

The house should have been cleaned. Vs. The house was to have been cleaned.
what's the difference in meaning? ?
  

Top answer

Given the proper context, they would mean the same thing.

— Philip

  • Given the proper context, they would mean the same thing.
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3 Answers
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Given the proper context, they would mean the same thing.
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So, they are interchangeable, right? ? Like:
You should have asked me before you took my bike. Or. You were to have asked me before you took my bike.
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tenjingYou were to have asked me before you took my bike.
You were (supposed) to ask me before.... [ This seems a bit odd, but it is structurally correct. ]
In your "cleaning" sentence, the have is part of a causative construction, which doesn't fit here.
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