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Thread: I would have told Mary the truth, except Mary wouldn't have believed me.

  1. 28-Nov-2008, 11:12 #1
    sitifan
    sitifan is offline Senior Member
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    Default I would have told Mary the truth, except Mary wouldn't have believed me.

    John said, "I would have told Mary the truth, except Mary wouldn't have believed me."
    What does the above sentence mean? Did John tell Mary the truth?
  2. 28-Nov-2008, 12:06 #2
    hanky
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    Default Re: I would have told Mary the truth, except Mary wouldn't have believed me.

    Quote Originally Posted by sitifan View Post
    John said, "I would have told Mary the truth, except Mary wouldn't have believed me."
    What does the above sentence mean? Did John tell Mary the truth?
    Not a teacher.

    It meant John told Mary the lie and Mary believed it.
  3. 28-Nov-2008, 12:16 #3
    bhaisahab's Avatar
    bhaisahab
    bhaisahab is offline Moderator
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    Default Re: I would have told Mary the truth, except Mary wouldn't have believed me.

    Quote Originally Posted by sitifan View Post
    John said, "I would have told Mary the truth, except Mary wouldn't have believed me."
    What does the above sentence mean? Did John tell Mary the truth?
    No, he didn't tell her the truth, he may have told her a lie or he may have said nothing.
    hanky and sitifan like this.
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