 Re: Does the answer sound awkward?
I think the difference here lies in the usage of the past perfect and the simple past tenses. Americans prefer the simple past tense to the past perfect tense. So it is understandable if the test taker is an American and thinks it is more proper to use 'if only you told me' instead of 'if only you had told me.'
However, I have to say, the answer to the Son's question is awkward. |