For all the good it's done, we might as well not have bothered.

[AlexAD]

Hello

I came across this example sentence in the OALD, 'For all the good it's done, we might as well not have bothered' and don't quite see a situation where the phrase may come in handy. I recognize it might be difficult to read the sentence without context even for a native but still I'd like to catch its meaning.

Thanks

Alex.

 

[Grumpy]

The rain is still pouring through the ceiling. We had spent all weekend replacing the tiles on the roof, but for all the good it's done, we might as well not have bothered.

 

[AlexAD]

In

for all the good it's done does the it refers to the rain or you replacing the tiles on the roof?
May be it's a fixed phrase?

Thanks

Alex.

​

 

[Gillnetter]

In

for all the good it's done does the it refers to the rain or you replacing the tiles on the roof?
[STRIKE]May be[/STRIKE] Maybe it's a fixed phrase?

Thanks

Alex.

​

Try to reason this out. What good would the rain have done?

 

[Tdol]

Replacing the tiles- this didn't stop the water coming in.

 

[Grumpy]

Replacing the tiles- this didn't stop the water coming in.

Correct!

 

[AlexAD]

Can I paraphrase it, 'Despite all the good we have done, we might as well not have bothered'?

Thanks

Alex.

 

[emsr2d2]

Can I paraphrase it, 'Despite all the good we have done, we might as well not have bothered'?

Thanks

Alex.

No, that doesn't work. "Replacing the tiles" does not count as "doing good". In fact, it turns out the opposite is true. They spent all weekend replacing the tiles, but it didn't do any good at all.

A: Our roof was leaking last week.
B: Oh no. What did you do?
A: We spent all weekend replacing the roof tiles.
B: Did it do any good?
A: No. The rain is still pouring through the roof.