comment on the statements expressing astonishmnt, disbelief, disapproval etc.

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me your expert opinion as well as comment on the following sentences?

I think it only natural that he should like his job.
I think it only natural that he likes his job.
They find it curious that he should think so.
We thought it odd that he should think so.
He believed it impossible that anybody could have succeeded where he had failed.
It is curious that he should have lost the key again.
It was simply impossible that he should have lost the key again.
What a pity that he lost the key again.
How annoying that he lost the key again.

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

[tareq10]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me your expert opinion as well as comment on the following sentences?

I think it's only natural that he should like his job.
I think it's only natural that he likes his job.
They find it curious that he should think so.
We thought it's odd that he should think so.
He believed it imposible that anybody have succeed where he had failed.
It is curious that he should have lost the key again.
It was simply impossible that he should have lost the key again.
What a pity that he should have lost the key again.
How annoying that he should have lost the key again.

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

To me, 'Should' doesn't fit, it would be better If you used 'could' or 'might'

I'm not a teacher. Wait for experts.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me your expert opinion as well as comment on the following sentences?

I think it only natural that he should like his job.
I think it only natural that he likes his job.
They find it curious that he should think so.
We thought it odd that he should think so.
He believed it impossible that anybody could have succeeded where he had failed.
It is curious that he should have lost the key again.
It was simply impossible that he should have lost the key again.

The last two are grammatical but not completely logical:

What a pity that he should have lost the key again.
How annoying that he should have lost the key again.

If he has, in fact, lost the key again, it would be better to simply delete "should have" from both.

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

You're welcome! Good job on some tricky constructions.

[Charlie Bernstein]

PS - Tareq's "it's" in the first two are not necessary, but I agree that that's a more common way to phrase it. "It" without the apostrophe sounds more formal or old-fashioned.

[vil]

Hi Charley Bernstein,

Thank you for your reply as well as for your ever so much excellent and tasteful amendments to my wording.

Please, excuse my obstinacy, but I would very thankful to you if you revise the following sentences.

The tickets for the forthcoming concert of Madonna in Sofia are sold out.

1. What a pity the tickets should be sold out!
2. Isn't it strange that the tickets should be sold out?
3. It was impossible that the tickets should be sold out.
4. It's rather odd that the tickets should be sold out.

Thank you again for your effort.

Regards,

V.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hi Charley Bernstein,

Thank you for your reply as well as for your ever so much excellent and tasteful amendments to my wording.

Please, excuse my obstinacy, but I would very thankful to you if you revise the following sentences.

The tickets for the forthcoming concert of Madonna in Sofia are sold out.

1. What a pity the tickets should be sold out!
2. Isn't it strange that the tickets should be sold out?
3. It was impossible that the tickets should be sold out.
4. It's rather odd that the tickets should be sold out.

Thank you again for your effort.

Regards,

V.

I think you're doing fine. Again, it would be simpler to say "were" or "are" rather than "should be."

It's a style question. "Should be" sounds a little more formal and old-fashioned than "were" and "are."

There's another thread going here about "would" that brings up the same issue.