Sentence

[puzzle]

She was sorry to have missed him.
She was sorry to miss him.

We hope to have finished the job by next Sunday.
We hope to finish the job by next Sunday.

I meant to have telephoned, but I forgot.
I meant to telephone, but I forgot.

Do each couple of sentences mean the same? Please.

[tedtmc]

1.
She was sorry to have missed him.
She missed him earlier before she felt sorry

2.
She was sorry to miss him.
She missed him then and she was sorry.

1. refers to something which happened earlier when the statement was made.
2. refers to something which happened at the point of time in the past.

I'm not sure whether my explanation is clear. Not a teacher.

[David L.]

1. She was sorry to have missed him.
She was sorry to miss him.
Both are grammatically correct, with a slightly different meaning.

2. We hope to have finished the job by next Sunday.
We hope to finish the job by next Sunday.
Both are grammatically correct, with a slightly different meaning.

I was meant to have telephoned, but I forgot.
I meant to telephone, but I forgot.
With the correction, both are now OK.

Anyone like to discuss the differences in meaning for 1, and for 2 above?

[puzzle]

I was meant to have telephoned, but I forgot.
I meant to telephone, but I forgot.
With the correction, both are now OK.

Why you add "was" since "meant" is a verb? and why no "was" in second one? Please.

[puzzle]

I.Either "meant" or "was meant" is fine, right?

II. Could you tell me what is the difference between two sentences of each couple?

Please.

[Clark]

1. She was sorry to have missed him.
She was sorry to miss him.
Both are grammatically correct, with a slightly different meaning.

2. We hope to have finished the job by next Sunday.
We hope to finish the job by next Sunday.
Both are grammatically correct, with a slightly different meaning.

I was meant to have telephoned, but I forgot.
I meant to telephone, but I forgot.
With the correction, both are now OK.

Anyone like to discuss the differences in meaning for 1, and for 2 above?

1. a perspective action (sorry to miss) vs. a retrospective action (sorry to have missed)

2. emphasising the completion of the action (hope to have finished) vs. neutral (hope to finish) Both are perspective actions

3. No idea what 'was meant' means here