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Kooyeen Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Would've never
Hi,
there's another post about this, but it's and old one and incomplete. So I wanted to know more about the position of "never" in sentrences like these:
1) If you hadn't told me, I would never have found out.
2) If you hadn't told me, I would have never found out.
Etc.
1) What? I didn't steal it! I would never have stolen her wallet!
2) What? I didn't steal it! I would have never stolen her wallet!
Etc.
I was told it was ok in both positions, and postion #1 was the most common. However...
...I always tend to say version #2, because "would've never" sounds better than "would never've" to me.
I'd like to know more about this, whether a version is probably more common than another, if there are differences in meaning, etc. (and info about contractions included = how to say them in everyday English)
Thanks in advance
there's another post about this, but it's and old one and incomplete. So I wanted to know more about the position of "never" in sentrences like these:
1) If you hadn't told me, I would never have found out.
2) If you hadn't told me, I would have never found out.
Etc.
1) What? I didn't steal it! I would never have stolen her wallet!
2) What? I didn't steal it! I would have never stolen her wallet!
Etc.
I was told it was ok in both positions, and postion #1 was the most common. However...
...I always tend to say version #2, because "would've never" sounds better than "would never've" to me.
I'd like to know more about this, whether a version is probably more common than another, if there are differences in meaning, etc. (and info about contractions included = how to say them in everyday English)
Thanks in advance
Top answer
Kooyeen, If my comment meant anything , or for whatever it is worth, this is what I understand: These 2 sentences are type 3 Conditional ( past perfect conditional ) . It doesn’t matter where “never” is placed, meaning is the same. You will find # 1 more commonly used.
- Kooyeen, If my comment meant anything , or for whatever it is worth, this is what I understand: These 2 sentences are type 3 Conditional ( past perfect conditional ) .
- It doesn’t matter where “never” is placed, meaning is the same.
- You will find # 1 more commonly used.
- 1) If you hadn't told me, I would never have found out.
- 2) If you hadn't told me, I would have never found out.
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5 Answers
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Kooyeen,
If my comment meant anything , or for whatever it is worth, this is what I understand:
These 2 sentences are type 3 Conditional (past perfect conditional) . It doesn’t matter where “never” is placed, meaning is the same. You will find # 1 more commonly used.
If my comment meant anything , or for whatever it is worth, this is what I understand:
These 2 sentences are type 3 Conditional (past perfect conditional) . It doesn’t matter where “never” is placed, meaning is the same. You will find # 1 more commonly used.
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"would've never" sounds better than "would never've" to me.You may find it lonely being among the few people who hold this opinion!
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Thanks!
So, if I got it right, you are suggesting "would never've", but also saying that "would've never" is ok too and there's no difference in meaning. Right?
And that's interesting... it seems every native speaker has their own opinion on this! In the old incomplete thread, GG said she didn't use both versions interchangeably, because she felt there was a difference in meaning. And I a
So, if I got it right, you are suggesting "would never've", but also saying that "would've never" is ok too and there's no difference in meaning. Right?
And that's interesting... it seems every native speaker has their own opinion on this! In the old incomplete thread, GG said she didn't use both versions interchangeably, because she felt there was a difference in meaning. And I a
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So, if I got it right, you are suggesting "would never've", but also saying that "would've never" is ok too and there's no difference in meaning. Right? Yup. Although would've never probably makes the word never stick out more. I see that as a difference in emphasis, not a difference in meaning. I'd say that unless you really want to stress never
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