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Liveinjapan  #452992  Fri, 14 Dec 07 01:25 AM

He could've written a much better book if he was working with me on it.

He could've written a much better book if he were working with me on it.

He could've written a much better book if he had been working with me on it.

I've learned all above sentences carry the same meaning. Am I right?

Thanks
LiJ

  
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Please feel free to correct any words I wrote.LiJ
Sarangadhar  #452994  Fri, 14 Dec 07 01:27 AM

I think only this is correct:

He could've written a much better book if he had worked was working with me on it.

 

All the 3 given by you are wrong.

  
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Liveinjapan  #452999  Fri, 14 Dec 07 01:47 AM
 Sarangadhar wrote:

I think only this is correct:

He could've written a much better book if he had worked was working with me on it.

 

All the 3 given by you are wrong.

Thanks.

How about: if he worked with me on it.

  
Sarangadhar  #453005  Fri, 14 Dec 07 02:04 AM
 Liveinjapan wrote:
 Sarangadhar wrote:

I think only this is correct:

He could've written a much better book if he had worked was working with me on it.

 

All the 3 given by you are wrong.

Thanks.

How about: if he worked with me on it.

You can write like this:

He would/could write a much better book if he worked with me.

he will write a much better book if he works with me.

but not "he could/would have written a much better book if he worked with me"

  
Liveinjapan  #453006  Fri, 14 Dec 07 02:15 AM

I know these rules, Sarangadhar. Thanks for your reply. Smile [:)]

Some native speakers of English told me:

You can use past simple if it is obvious that you're mentioning the past. In conversations, the past simple is commonly used, in my opinion.

LiJ

  
CalifJim  #453039  Fri, 14 Dec 07 04:22 AM
I've learned all above sentences carry the same meaning. Am I right?
Yes.  They are all understandable as having the same meaning.  However, only the last one is technically correct.

CJ

  
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"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
Sarangadhar  #453041  Fri, 14 Dec 07 04:26 AM

 CalifJim wrote:
only the last one is technically correct.

CJ

CJ

I think last one is also wrong.

  
Liveinjapan  #453046  Fri, 14 Dec 07 04:53 AM

Thanks, CJ and Sarangadhar. Smile [:)]

LiJ

  
CalifJim  #453054  Fri, 14 Dec 07 05:28 AM

I think last one is also wrong.

Yes, I know.  You said that earlier in this thread.

Smile [:)]
CJ

  
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