What is the tense of “I would have been happy to…”?
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave.
Is this a past present tense? I need to explain this statement I made, correctly.
conditional-perfect perfect-aspect reversed-conditional
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
asked Jun 29 '11 at 10:17
katcar1katcar1
11112
add a comment |
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave.
Is this a past present tense? I need to explain this statement I made, correctly.
conditional-perfect perfect-aspect reversed-conditional
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
asked Jun 29 '11 at 10:17
katcar1katcar1
11112
Possible duplicate: Would have in conditional clauses.
– user1579
Jun 29 '11 at 10:59
add a comment |
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave.
Is this a past present tense? I need to explain this statement I made, correctly.
conditional-perfect perfect-aspect reversed-conditional
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
asked Jun 29 '11 at 10:17
katcar1katcar1
11112
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave.
Is this a past present tense? I need to explain this statement I made, correctly.
conditional-perfect perfect-aspect reversed-conditional
conditional-perfect perfect-aspect reversed-conditional
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
asked Jun 29 '11 at 10:17
katcar1katcar1
11112
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
asked Jun 29 '11 at 10:17
katcar1katcar1
11112
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
109k30295472
asked Jun 29 '11 at 10:17
katcar1katcar1
11112
asked Jun 29 '11 at 10:17
katcar1katcar1
11112
asked Jun 29 '11 at 10:17
katcar1katcar1
11112
11112
Possible duplicate: Would have in conditional clauses.
– user1579
Jun 29 '11 at 10:59
add a comment |
Possible duplicate: Would have in conditional clauses.
– user1579
Jun 29 '11 at 10:59
Possible duplicate: Would have in conditional clauses.
– user1579
Jun 29 '11 at 10:59
Possible duplicate: Would have in conditional clauses.
– user1579
Jun 29 '11 at 10:59
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
There is a tense problem in your original sentence
I would have been happy
refers to something in the past. I would have given you the money, but I did not (because you did not give me a date).
if you would give me a date to leave
refers to something that has not yet happened (you have not given me a date, I'm waiting for it)
The two parts cannot go together as they are, so either you put the dependent clause in the past:
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you had given me a date to leave
or you put the independent clause in the future
I will be happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave
answered Jun 29 '11 at 11:08
niconico
4,53832235
add a comment |
The clause "I would have been happy to let you use the money" is an example of a Modal Perfect construction. You can see the modal 'would' and the perfective "have + -en".
The meaning is 'past + counterfactual' -- we use it to discuss something that was possible in the past but did not happen.
To combine it correctly with the second clause see the instruction from Nico. You need to adjust something to get at the meaning you want.
answered Jun 29 '11 at 19:40
JanetJanet
50432
add a comment |
This tense is perfect conditional, because the formation is :Would+have+past participle .For instance, I would have travelled abroad but I hadn't had passport.
edited 13 hours ago
Janus Bahs Jacquet
29.7k570129
answered 13 hours ago
Voltaire D'HaitiVoltaire D'Haiti
111
New contributor
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
I’ve removed the image from your answer since it had no relevance to it. You should be aware that “I hadn’t had passport” is ungrammatical (passport requires a determiner) and also the wrong tense for this construction.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
add a comment |
As far as I know the independent clause, "I would have XXX", is an example of the conditional perfect tense. If the XXX is been plus a gerund (ends with "ing") then this would be conditional perfect progressive tense. The second or dependent clause, "if you would XXX', is in conditional tense.
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
answered Jun 29 '11 at 10:45
Hovercraft Full Of EelsHovercraft Full Of Eels
994
add a comment |
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4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
There is a tense problem in your original sentence
I would have been happy
refers to something in the past. I would have given you the money, but I did not (because you did not give me a date).
if you would give me a date to leave
refers to something that has not yet happened (you have not given me a date, I'm waiting for it)
The two parts cannot go together as they are, so either you put the dependent clause in the past:
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you had given me a date to leave
or you put the independent clause in the future
I will be happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave
answered Jun 29 '11 at 11:08
niconico
4,53832235
add a comment |
There is a tense problem in your original sentence
I would have been happy
refers to something in the past. I would have given you the money, but I did not (because you did not give me a date).
if you would give me a date to leave
refers to something that has not yet happened (you have not given me a date, I'm waiting for it)
The two parts cannot go together as they are, so either you put the dependent clause in the past:
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you had given me a date to leave
or you put the independent clause in the future
I will be happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave
answered Jun 29 '11 at 11:08
niconico
4,53832235
add a comment |
There is a tense problem in your original sentence
I would have been happy
refers to something in the past. I would have given you the money, but I did not (because you did not give me a date).
if you would give me a date to leave
refers to something that has not yet happened (you have not given me a date, I'm waiting for it)
The two parts cannot go together as they are, so either you put the dependent clause in the past:
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you had given me a date to leave
or you put the independent clause in the future
I will be happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave
answered Jun 29 '11 at 11:08
niconico
4,53832235
There is a tense problem in your original sentence
I would have been happy
refers to something in the past. I would have given you the money, but I did not (because you did not give me a date).
if you would give me a date to leave
refers to something that has not yet happened (you have not given me a date, I'm waiting for it)
The two parts cannot go together as they are, so either you put the dependent clause in the past:
I would have been happy to let you use the money, if you had given me a date to leave
or you put the independent clause in the future
I will be happy to let you use the money, if you would give me a date to leave
answered Jun 29 '11 at 11:08
niconico
4,53832235
answered Jun 29 '11 at 11:08
niconico
4,53832235
answered Jun 29 '11 at 11:08
niconico
4,53832235
answered Jun 29 '11 at 11:08
niconico
4,53832235
4,53832235
add a comment |
add a comment |
The clause "I would have been happy to let you use the money" is an example of a Modal Perfect construction. You can see the modal 'would' and the perfective "have + -en".
The meaning is 'past + counterfactual' -- we use it to discuss something that was possible in the past but did not happen.
To combine it correctly with the second clause see the instruction from Nico. You need to adjust something to get at the meaning you want.
answered Jun 29 '11 at 19:40
JanetJanet
50432
add a comment |
The clause "I would have been happy to let you use the money" is an example of a Modal Perfect construction. You can see the modal 'would' and the perfective "have + -en".
The meaning is 'past + counterfactual' -- we use it to discuss something that was possible in the past but did not happen.
To combine it correctly with the second clause see the instruction from Nico. You need to adjust something to get at the meaning you want.
answered Jun 29 '11 at 19:40
JanetJanet
50432
add a comment |
The clause "I would have been happy to let you use the money" is an example of a Modal Perfect construction. You can see the modal 'would' and the perfective "have + -en".
The meaning is 'past + counterfactual' -- we use it to discuss something that was possible in the past but did not happen.
To combine it correctly with the second clause see the instruction from Nico. You need to adjust something to get at the meaning you want.
answered Jun 29 '11 at 19:40
JanetJanet
50432
The clause "I would have been happy to let you use the money" is an example of a Modal Perfect construction. You can see the modal 'would' and the perfective "have + -en".
The meaning is 'past + counterfactual' -- we use it to discuss something that was possible in the past but did not happen.
To combine it correctly with the second clause see the instruction from Nico. You need to adjust something to get at the meaning you want.
answered Jun 29 '11 at 19:40
JanetJanet
50432
answered Jun 29 '11 at 19:40
JanetJanet
50432
answered Jun 29 '11 at 19:40
JanetJanet
50432
answered Jun 29 '11 at 19:40
JanetJanet
50432
50432
add a comment |
add a comment |
This tense is perfect conditional, because the formation is :Would+have+past participle .For instance, I would have travelled abroad but I hadn't had passport.
edited 13 hours ago
Janus Bahs Jacquet
29.7k570129
answered 13 hours ago
Voltaire D'HaitiVoltaire D'Haiti
111
New contributor
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
I’ve removed the image from your answer since it had no relevance to it. You should be aware that “I hadn’t had passport” is ungrammatical (passport requires a determiner) and also the wrong tense for this construction.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
add a comment |
This tense is perfect conditional, because the formation is :Would+have+past participle .For instance, I would have travelled abroad but I hadn't had passport.
edited 13 hours ago
Janus Bahs Jacquet
29.7k570129
answered 13 hours ago
Voltaire D'HaitiVoltaire D'Haiti
111
New contributor
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
I’ve removed the image from your answer since it had no relevance to it. You should be aware that “I hadn’t had passport” is ungrammatical (passport requires a determiner) and also the wrong tense for this construction.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
add a comment |
This tense is perfect conditional, because the formation is :Would+have+past participle .For instance, I would have travelled abroad but I hadn't had passport.
edited 13 hours ago
Janus Bahs Jacquet
29.7k570129
answered 13 hours ago
Voltaire D'HaitiVoltaire D'Haiti
111
New contributor
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
This tense is perfect conditional, because the formation is :Would+have+past participle .For instance, I would have travelled abroad but I hadn't had passport.
edited 13 hours ago
Janus Bahs Jacquet
29.7k570129
answered 13 hours ago
Voltaire D'HaitiVoltaire D'Haiti
111
New contributor
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 13 hours ago
Janus Bahs Jacquet
29.7k570129
edited 13 hours ago
Janus Bahs Jacquet
29.7k570129
edited 13 hours ago
Janus Bahs Jacquet
29.7k570129
29.7k570129
answered 13 hours ago
Voltaire D'HaitiVoltaire D'Haiti
111
New contributor
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 13 hours ago
Voltaire D'HaitiVoltaire D'Haiti
111
answered 13 hours ago
Voltaire D'HaitiVoltaire D'Haiti
111
111
New contributor
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Voltaire D'Haiti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
I’ve removed the image from your answer since it had no relevance to it. You should be aware that “I hadn’t had passport” is ungrammatical (passport requires a determiner) and also the wrong tense for this construction.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
add a comment |
1
I’ve removed the image from your answer since it had no relevance to it. You should be aware that “I hadn’t had passport” is ungrammatical (passport requires a determiner) and also the wrong tense for this construction.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
1
1
I’ve removed the image from your answer since it had no relevance to it. You should be aware that “I hadn’t had passport” is ungrammatical (passport requires a determiner) and also the wrong tense for this construction.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
I’ve removed the image from your answer since it had no relevance to it. You should be aware that “I hadn’t had passport” is ungrammatical (passport requires a determiner) and also the wrong tense for this construction.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
add a comment |
As far as I know the independent clause, "I would have XXX", is an example of the conditional perfect tense. If the XXX is been plus a gerund (ends with "ing") then this would be conditional perfect progressive tense. The second or dependent clause, "if you would XXX', is in conditional tense.
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
answered Jun 29 '11 at 10:45
Hovercraft Full Of EelsHovercraft Full Of Eels
994
add a comment |
As far as I know the independent clause, "I would have XXX", is an example of the conditional perfect tense. If the XXX is been plus a gerund (ends with "ing") then this would be conditional perfect progressive tense. The second or dependent clause, "if you would XXX', is in conditional tense.
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
answered Jun 29 '11 at 10:45
Hovercraft Full Of EelsHovercraft Full Of Eels
994
add a comment |
As far as I know the independent clause, "I would have XXX", is an example of the conditional perfect tense. If the XXX is been plus a gerund (ends with "ing") then this would be conditional perfect progressive tense. The second or dependent clause, "if you would XXX', is in conditional tense.
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
answered Jun 29 '11 at 10:45
Hovercraft Full Of EelsHovercraft Full Of Eels
994
As far as I know the independent clause, "I would have XXX", is an example of the conditional perfect tense. If the XXX is been plus a gerund (ends with "ing") then this would be conditional perfect progressive tense. The second or dependent clause, "if you would XXX', is in conditional tense.
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
answered Jun 29 '11 at 10:45
Hovercraft Full Of EelsHovercraft Full Of Eels
994
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
edited Jun 15 '14 at 18:05
tchrist♦
109k30295472
109k30295472
answered Jun 29 '11 at 10:45
Hovercraft Full Of EelsHovercraft Full Of Eels
994
answered Jun 29 '11 at 10:45
Hovercraft Full Of EelsHovercraft Full Of Eels
994
answered Jun 29 '11 at 10:45
Hovercraft Full Of EelsHovercraft Full Of Eels
994
994
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Possible duplicate: Would have in conditional clauses.
– user1579
Jun 29 '11 at 10:59