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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
would have been vs. would be
Mary: My son cannot attend your party tomorrow.
Alex: A) The party tomorrow would have been nicer if your son could come.
B) The party tomorrow would be nicer if your son could come.
C) The party tomorrow was going to be nicer if your son could come.
Hello,
1. Can you please advise which is the most appropriate natural response by Alex above? I think A sounds natural to me, but the form "would have been" usually refers to past unreal conditional. I'm a bit confused because we are talking about a future here, which is "tomorrow".
2. Are B and C also a possible natural response?
I would very much appreciate your assistance.
Many thanks,
John
Alex: A) The party tomorrow would have been nicer if your son could come.
B) The party tomorrow would be nicer if your son could come.
C) The party tomorrow was going to be nicer if your son could come.
Hello,
1. Can you please advise which is the most appropriate natural response by Alex above? I think A sounds natural to me, but the form "would have been" usually refers to past unreal conditional. I'm a bit confused because we are talking about a future here, which is "tomorrow".
2. Are B and C also a possible natural response?
I would very much appreciate your assistance.
Many thanks,
John
Top answer
Hi, B is the right choice. The structure should follow the second condition form which indicates unreal present or future. Hamid
- Hi, B is the right choice.
- The structure should follow the second condition form which indicates unreal present or future.
- Hamid
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5 Answers
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Hi,
B is the right choice. The structure should follow the second condition form which indicates unreal present or future.
Hamid
B is the right choice. The structure should follow the second condition form which indicates unreal present or future.
Hamid
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The party tomorrow would have been nicer if your son could have come .
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fivejedjonThe party tomorrow would have been nicer if your son could have come .This changes the meaning drastically. It indicates that the "son" cannot attend the party, whereas, the second conditional structure does not have such "intrinsic assumption".
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hrsaneiThis changes the meaning drastically. It indicates that the "son" cannot attend the party,I didn't notice that some of my post disappeared when I submitted it. I said that my version was the more natural choice as the mother had said that her son could not attend.
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Thank you, hrsanei and fivejedjon, for your input. This is clearer to me now. 
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