would be/would have been offended

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Tan Elaine

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Jun 29, 2008
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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.
 

Rover_KE

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Heterological

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Jun 25, 2010
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English Teacher
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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