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  1. #1
    Tan Elaine is offline Key Member
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    Default would be/would have been offended

    I don't know why so many people were offended by my remark. If I had known they would be, I would have said 'crying in a helicopter' instead of a BMW.

    I believe the speaker should have said 'would have been offended' to be consistent with 'had known'. I think without 'offended' the phrase is wrong. Am I correct?

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Rover_KE is online now VIP Member
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    Default Re: would be/would have been offended

    You can use either
    If I had known they would be
    or
    If I had known they would have been
    , but you don't need to repeat 'offended'.

    Rover

  3. #3
    Heterological is offline Member
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    Default Re: would be/would have been offended

    I disagree--these people were offended, so it's not a hypothetical. The way it's originally written is correct.
    1) People were offended
    2) I failed to predict that they would be offended
    3) If I had predicted their offense, I would have done things differently.
    Put it all together as, "If I had known they would be offended..."

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