It means the author may have missed something out.
Your alteration does not improve the sentence.
Rover

Student or Learner
My dear teachers, every time I read your answer posts, I am toched. How great you are.
Now your help is appreciated here again.
I came across such a sentence:
In preparing the handbook, tha author can not hope to have escaped the sin of omission .
What does this sentence mean?
If I change the sentence into the following one, is there any difference between them?
In preparing the handbook, tha author can not hope to escape the sin of omission.
Thanks a lot. I am waiting for your answers in China.
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It means the author may have missed something out.
Your alteration does not improve the sentence.
Rover
1. In preparing the handbook, the author can not hope to have escaped the sin of omission .
S/he recognises the futility of her hope that s/he did not leave out anything while she was writing.
2. In preparing the handbook, the author can not hope to escape the sin of omission.
S/he recognises the futility of her hope that she is not leaving out anything while she is writing.
Last edited by 5jj; 07-Nov-2011 at 13:52. Reason: typo
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