We had expected that they fluent english but in fact they didn t
We had expected that they fluent english but in fact they didn t
Grammar Issue?
I would like to ask about two sentences I’ve recently encountered in test.
1.)We had expected that they ___ fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
A The correct option was «would speak». But I don’t know why It can not be «spoke» as well.
B I assume that past perfect is optional and it would suffice to use past simple.
2.)What ___ this weekend, Peter?
Would it be OK, in terms of grammar, If I say «will you do»? The correct option was «are you doing» which is definetly OK with me. But in my opinion, this question is related to the future events so It should be possible and acceptable to use «will you do» as well.
I would be grateful If you answer any of these questions. I’m interested in answers from a grammatical point of view. I’m not looking for the most appropriate options.
Thank you very much
Martin
1. We had expected that they spoke fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
3. We had expected that they would speak fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
4. We expected that they would speak fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
I would accept #1 too: whereas «they would speak. » in #3 seems to refer to a particular incident, «that they spoke. » in #1 sounds like a general assessment.
Changing #1 to a present simple seems to remove that possibility, though: it sounds a little odd.
On the other hand, changing #3 to a present simple sounds fine. Perhaps some speakers would prefer an «object + infinitive» structure:
5. We expected them to speak fluent English.
We had expected that they would speak fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
We had expected that they spoke fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
Here, we expected that they were fluent speakers in general, not on a particular occasion, but it turned out later that in fact they were not.
So both should be correct, I think, but their meanings are different. And I would stick to Past Perfect in this case.
As far as your second question is concerned, «what are you doing this weekend» is a natural way of asking somebody about their plans for the nearest future, whereas questions about future put in Future Simple are not so neutral. For example:
Will you help me (asking sb a favour, not asking if they are willing to help)
Will you come to me (invitation rather than asking about their plans)
expected they would speak
amc4042
Member
In an intermediate lesson, I got this exercise
We had expected that they __________ fluent English, but in fact they didn’t
a) were speaking
b) would speak
c) had spoken
d) spoke
«d» sounds correct to me, or even «c» but. the answer is «b». I wonder why, and what kind of construction the sentence is.
DankyBoi23
Member
It is technically, grammatically correct to say «We had expected that they would speak fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.»
In a sentence using the pluperfect such as the one above, the dependent clause must use the conditional, such as «I had expected that he would kiss me on the first date» or «He had known that I would not like his idea.» This is because at the time that the pluperfect clause refers to, the dependent clause refers to something that may or may not have been true. This is especially true with the verbs «to expect,» «to know,» «to think,» «to believe,» and other similar verbs. Sorry for the complicated explanation.
velisarius
Senior Member
I’m going on a trip to meet our foreign clients. I expect they speak fluent English/I expect they will speak fluent English.
I went on a trip to meet our foreign clients. I had expected that they would speak fluent English. «Would speak» is used as the past tense form of «will speak». I can’t see it as a conditional.
(It should be possible to say «I expected that they spoke fluent English», but somehow my brain insists on «I was expecting them to speak fluent English».
I would also more naturally say «I had been expecting them to speak fluent English, but in fact they didn’t». English isn’t always complicated )
Read the text below. For questions 54 to 58, choose the best answer (a, b, c or d).
Manyhotel chains and tour operators say that they take their environmental commitments seriously, but often they do not respect their social and economic responsibilities to the local community. So is it possible for travellers to help improve the lives of locals and still have a good holiday?
The charity, Tourism Concern, thinks so. It has pioneered the concept of the fair-trade holiday. The philosophy behind fair-trade travel is to make sure that local people get a fair share of the income from tourism. The objectives are simple: employing local people wherever possible; offering fair wages and treatment; showing cultural respect; involving communities in deciding how tourism is developed; and making sure that visitors have minimal environmental impact.
Although there is currently no official fair-trade accreditation for holidays, the Association of Independent Tour Operators has worked hard to produce responsible tourism guidelines for its members. Some new companies, operated as much by principles as profits, offer a fantastic range of holidays for responsible and adventurous travellers.
(54) Tourism Concern…
a) helps tourists who have had bad holidays.
b) is a philosophy.
C) is a charity and fair-trade organisation.
d) has a chain of hotels.
(55) Which of the following is NOT one of Tourism Concern’s objectives?
b) Showing respect for local cultures.
c) Saving tourists money.
D) Protecting the local environment.
(56) According to the text, fair-trade travel is all about…
a) making money for charity.
b) money from tourism going to local people.
c) travellers getting a good deal.
D) a great cultural experience.
(57) According to the text, there are _____ companies that are operated on principles as well as profits.
A) a few
(58) Choose the most appropriate title for the article.
a) Holidays from heaven
b) Cheap adventure holidays
C) Fair-trade holidays
d) Great holiday deals
Section 8 (59 to 66)
Write a story titled A Perfect Day. In your narrative, include at least three of the following linking words: as soon as, by the time, just as, during, while. You should write 300–500 words. (8 points)
Section 9
Choose the best word or phrase (a, b, c or d) to fill each blank.
(67) Who _____ in that house?
B) lives
(68) I will call you when I _____ home.
A) get
(69) If you _____ me, what would you do?
A) was
(70) I don’t know where _____ last night.
D) he went
(71) John and Betty are coming to visit us tomorrow but I wish _____.
d) they weren’t
(72) I’m so hungry! If only Bill _____ all the food in the fridge!
d) hasn’t eaten
(73) I regret _____ harder in school.
D) not have studied
(74) Surely Sue _____ you if she was unhappy with your work.
B) would have told
c) must have told
(75) Our neighbours aren’t very polite, and _____ particularly quiet!
a) neither they aren’t
b) either they aren’t
d) neither did they be
(76) We had expected that they _____ fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
a) were speaking
B) would speak
(77) I’d rather _____ next weekend, but I do!
a) I don’t have to work
b) I didn’t have to work
D) no working
(78) Harriet is so knowledgeable. She can talk about _____ subject that comes up.