[General] You are supposed to have done it before yesterday?

[cubezero3]

Hello, everyone.

I'd like to know if I can say this sentence. The meaning I want to convey is that I am talking with my friend about a task of which the deadline was yesterday.

Thanks

Richard

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello, everyone.

I'd like to know if I can say this sentence. The meaning I want to convey is that I am talking with my friend about a task of which the deadline was yesterday.

Thanks

Richard

Use "by" rather than "before". If you use "before", it suggests that the task was done yesterday but it should have been done before that.

 

[billmcd]

Hello, everyone.

I'd like to know if I can say this sentence. The meaning I want to convey is that I am talking with my friend about a task of which the deadline was yesterday.

Thanks

Richard

I would restate your example as, "You were supposed to have done it before yesterday".

 

[BobK]

I would restate your example as, "You were supposed to have done it before yesterday".

I'd've suggested that too. But as this is the sort of thing that is unlikely to appear in writing, the difference is between /ju: wǝ/ and /ju: ǝ/ (where there is likely to be a w-like glide linking the /u:/ and the /ǝ/ anyway), the difference is negligible.

It's possible to use 'You are supposed...', but with reference to a future obligation (that might be met): 'You are supposed to have done this by tomorrow'.

b

 

[2006]

It's possible to use 'You are supposed...', but with reference to a future obligation (that might be met): 'You are supposed to have done this by tomorrow'.

b

I would say 'You are supposed to do this by tomorrow.'

 

[bhaisahab]

I would say 'You are supposed to do this by tomorrow.'

I would probably say "You are supposed to have this done by tomorrow".

 

[BobK]

:up: That one's more likely than the one I suggested in a general case, but I think people would use 'You are supposed to have done this...' to emphasize the process - meaning 'You should be well on the way to having it done by now'.

b