May 25, 2007 04:01
16 yrs ago
English term
DELVING into DETAIL
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian, Russian to English, and 2 more.
would have
English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
As my companion explained, the bus driver (would have) only had to say a few words into his radio, and police would have appeared out of nowhere.
Dear native English speakers!
Please advise if I really need that 'would have' here. Wouldn't just 'only had to' be enough?
The talk is about a bus driver who, seeing a "road hog", didn't call the police.
Thank you!
Dear native English speakers!
Please advise if I really need that 'would have' here. Wouldn't just 'only had to' be enough?
The talk is about a bus driver who, seeing a "road hog", didn't call the police.
Thank you!
Responses
| 4 +3 | Cut it |
Anton Baer
|
| 3 +3 | Different approach |
AhmedAMS
|
| 5 | is necessary |
David Hollywood
|
| 3 | would only have had to |
Rachel Fell
|
Responses
+3
33 mins
Anton Baer
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
Technology, natural sciences, AGBs
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, Slovak to English, Czech to English, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
16
Selected
Cut it
Reads perfectly fine without it. Makes perfect sense. Your doubts are justified.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you for your help Heinrich! Thanks everybody!!!"
+3
33 mins
Different approach
Had the bus driver only said few words into his radio, police would have appeared out of nowhere.
This is type 3 of conditional sentences.
This is type 3 of conditional sentences.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Can Altinbay
: nice.
9 hrs
|
|
Thank you.
|
|
| agree |
Trudy Peters
: a few words
11 hrs
|
|
Thank you.
|
|
| agree |
vaskekona
: Had the bus driver only said a few words into his radio, police would have appeared out of nowhere, (as) my companion explained.
5 days
|
|
Thank you.
|
15 mins
David Hollywood
Native in English
&
English
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
118
is necessary
:)
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Note added at 16 mins (2007-05-25 04:18:05 GMT)
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the point is that he didn't in this case
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Note added at 17 mins (2007-05-25 04:19:16 GMT)
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if he had wanted to ... he could (and would) have called the police
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Note added at 19 mins (2007-05-25 04:21:16 GMT)
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the sense in English is that he had the option but chose not to ....
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Note added at 20 mins (2007-05-25 04:22:18 GMT)
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he gave the "road hog" a break
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Note added at 23 mins (2007-05-25 04:25:09 GMT)
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you could also leave out the "would have" and say "the bus driver only had to say a few words" and you get the same meaning in this context ...
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Note added at 24 mins (2007-05-25 04:26:08 GMT)
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but it has to be followed by "would have" to complete the logic
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Note added at 27 mins (2007-05-25 04:28:43 GMT)
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"would only have had to" stresses the theoretical element
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Note added at 33 mins (2007-05-25 04:35:08 GMT)
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I started off saying it was necessary and I still think it's the better option for clarity but "only had to" would work too and give a sense of immediacy
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Note added at 16 mins (2007-05-25 04:18:05 GMT)
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the point is that he didn't in this case
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2007-05-25 04:19:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
if he had wanted to ... he could (and would) have called the police
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2007-05-25 04:21:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
the sense in English is that he had the option but chose not to ....
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2007-05-25 04:22:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
he gave the "road hog" a break
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 mins (2007-05-25 04:25:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
you could also leave out the "would have" and say "the bus driver only had to say a few words" and you get the same meaning in this context ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2007-05-25 04:26:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
but it has to be followed by "would have" to complete the logic
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 27 mins (2007-05-25 04:28:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"would only have had to" stresses the theoretical element
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2007-05-25 04:35:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I started off saying it was necessary and I still think it's the better option for clarity but "only had to" would work too and give a sense of immediacy
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
airmailrpl
: is that a YES or a NO ??
4 hrs
|
|
it's a confusing answer for sure I admit :) it's a qualified "yes"
|
1 day 4 hrs
Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
Thorough, knowledgeable and resourceful
Native in: English (Variant: UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, Italian to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
20
would only have had to
I think it has to be like this for UK English (and I think this order more likely) - conditionals in US English are expressed differently, I think.
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Note added at 7 days (2007-06-01 08:40:04 GMT) Post-grading
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or: he only had to say... and police would appear...
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Note added at 7 days (2007-06-01 08:40:04 GMT) Post-grading
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or: he only had to say... and police would appear...
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