should have (simple past or present perfect?)

[albeit]

Thank you very much for all your precious time spent at UsingEnglish clarifying non-native speakers doubts. That is something we cannot pay for, but you may be sure life is fair.
I'm also in a hurry most of the time and I understand exactly your position. Enjoy that very state of being busy as hell/all get out/heck, the best things in life are free.

You're very welcome, Sir or Madam, as the case may be.

Sure, be my guest!

I guess it should be YM, not YN, eh, YMNisky?


++++++++++++++++++++++

If I may be so bold as to ask, why didn't you address these issues, YM?

I know it isn't simple past. When I was writing it, I was aware it wasn't simple past - but I wrote it was because I thought it was worth saying something about it if somebody touched it, as you did. Let me explain:
It sure is not simple past, but the idea is past - I spent more than I should.

Here the should gives a past idea, something which was about to happen in the past.

Why do you think 'should' gives a past idea? 'should' is not past tense, present tense or future tense. In modern English it is completely tenseless.

I will turn and change to another similar verb, what about:
I spent more than I could. (could is the past of can, right?)

No, 'could' is not the past tense of 'can' either. All modals in modern English are tenseless.

[Abstract Idea]

Why do you think 'should' gives a past idea? 'should' is not past tense, present tense or future tense. In modern English it is completely tenseless.

No, 'could' is not the past tense of 'can' either. All modals in modern English are tenseless.

Read,

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/as...413-shall.html

If you have questions after that, YN, which I'm sure you will, please feel free to ask either here or at the 'shall' thread, depending on which modal you have questions about.

Ok Albeit, I posted something about it in that thread.

"I spent more than I should (spend)." (both simple past)

Why do you think 'should' gives a past idea? 'should' is not past tense, present tense or future tense. In modern English it is completely tenseless.

I've already told you I know 'simple past' does not apply above.
The past idea I think should brings here is the following:
During that fatidical day, the speaker was somehow not permitted to spend all that money.
That is a kind of obligation he had to follow in a past time - he didn't follow it so he spent so much money that later he wasn't able to pay his internet bills and today he cannot read this post to learn whether he spoke grammaticaly or not.

[albeit]

[QUOTE=PROESL;511373]

I think that's best said as a British English speaker because both versions of the sentence are equally correct. This particular sentence is correct with or without "have".

Further on this point, click on "My Posts" on your Using English taskbar. Look at the last entry on the drop down tab. It says,

"Threads I posted in", not "Threads I've posted in".

Was the programmer a BrE or NaE speaker?

[Abstract Idea]

From an ESL book:

"You know I'm on a tight budget and I spent more than I should have."

I think it should read "You know I'm on a tight budget and I have spent more than I should have."

I immensely appreciate all the AmE comments.
I understand now that both forms, simple past and present perfect are correct from the AmE point of view.

You are right Yminsky, "have" is needed. I would leave out the "have" at the end of the sentence though.

Now I would like to confirm the following: From the BrE point of view is the original sentence really wrong? Is the present perfect a must here? And in this case the final "have" in the sentence should or could be left out?
(I understand there are differences in AmE and BrE, I am interested now in the BrE point of view)

[albeit]

Now I would like to confirm the following: And in this case the final "have" in the sentence should or could be left out?
(I understand there are differences in AmE and BrE, I am interested now in the BrE point of view)

Just so I'm clear, YM, which 'have' do you mean, the underlined one that comes before 'spent' or the one in bold after 'should'?

You know I'm on a tight budget and I have spent more than I should have."

[bhaisahab]

I immensely appreciate all the AmE comments.
I understand now that both forms, simple past and present perfect are correct from the AmE point of view.



Now I would like to confirm the following: From the BrE point of view is the original sentence really wrong? Is the present perfect a must here? And in this case the final "have" in the sentence should or could be left out?
(I understand there are differences in AmE and BrE, I am interested now in the BrE point of view)

"You know I'm on a tight budget and I spent more than I should have."

This sentence is not exactly wrong but it is inelegant "...I have spent much more than I should." is better.

[Abstract Idea]

Just so I'm clear, YM, which 'have' do you mean, the underlined one that comes before 'spent' or the one in bold after 'should'?

You know I'm on a tight budget and I have spent more than I should have."

The one in bold after should