should not have

[navi tasan]

Which is correct:

1-You did well to remind me to fill my tax forms. I had already done it, but you did well to remind me. I should not have forgotten to do it.

2-You did well to remind me to fill my tax forms. I had already done it, but you did well to remind me. It was essential that I should not forget to do it.

I think "1" does not work. "I should not have forgotten to do it." seems to imply that I did forget to do it.


Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[probus]

Yes, I think 2 is correct and 1 contradicts itself. By the way, in AmE we would say "fill out forms" rather than "fill forms".

 

[emsr2d2]

Which is correct:

1-You did well to remind me to fill my tax forms. I had already done it, but you did well to remind me. I should not have forgotten to do it.

2-You did well to remind me to fill my tax forms. I had already done it, but you did well to remind me. It was essential that I should not forget to do it.

I think "1" does not work. "I should not have forgotten to do it." seems to imply that I did forget to do it.


Gratefully,
Navi.

#1 is contradictory. It's not possible to say "I had already done it" and "I should not have forgotten to do it" together. As you say "I should not have forgotten to do it" means "I forgot to do it and I regret it. I should have remembered".

#2 is better though I wouldn't bother with the negative. I would end it "It was essential that I do it".

In BrE, we "fill in" forms, sometimes we "fill out" forms but we don't "fill forms".