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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
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Which of these, and why? (or why not?):
- I would have liked to have helped.
- I would have liked to help.
- I would like to have helped.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
All three seem acceptable, but applicable to different timing of problem and opportunities to help.
The first would mean you learned of problem too late to do anything.
The second would mean you would have been willing to help, but were not asked to do so.
The third would be mean you regret not having been asked tohelp.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
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I completely agree with your first two definitions, Bill, but I don't think the third is really acceptable as nit-pickingly-formal, written English - although you would get away with it easily in spoken or casual written English.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I agree w/ RC, I think; and, I lurve your subject title! 
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear RC: I agree that the third version is clumsy, but I can imagine saying it.
"They are friends of mine. I would like to have helped, but didn't get the chance to do so.
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 872
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 872 |
I agree w/ RC,And I agree w/ Moon Pie. I mean Bill. (Sorry, that was a silly joke, and I mean was literally.) No matter. RC, what manner of word construction would you assemble to approach Bill's meaning # 3. Remember RC, meaning over form.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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So, I'd like to help with an answer, yet, I could care less, but...
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555
addict
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addict
Joined: Dec 2002
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I'd plump for 'b'. 'c' confuses future and past; and 'a' has a lot of redundant usage in it- 2 'haves' with 2 pasts
I'd go with 'b' or with a totally different construction such as: I would have liked to have been of help
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I would have liked to have responded, but I liked to respond clearly, so I didn't respond at all. I would have liked to respond unequivocably.
Just fooling around in the above. I would like to have helped, but don't imagine I have.
I'm with wwh and milum: meaning's the thing. With a dash of nuance.
I like the thread title, too.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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addict
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addict
Joined: Dec 2002
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An aye for the title too from my end.
I wonder if WW meant my earlier post; went back and read it and it did read somewhat at sixes and sevens. Here's what I meant:
a: sentence formation seems redundant to me; what jars is the use of the word 'have' twice and both times in the past tense
c: confuses the future tense (would like) with the past tense (helped)
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