If I had a gun I would have had shot him vs If I had a gun I would have shot him

[farhankhan2007]

Hello all,

Is there a possible difference between these sentences?

1) If I had a gun I would have had shot him.
2) If I had a gun I would have shot him.

I see people using would have had when we can just use would have, any specific reason for this or is that some kind of a special usage?

Thankyou in advance.

 

[GoesStation]

Both sentences are incorrect. Number 2 is close; write "If I had had a gun, I would have shot him." The first "had" is an auxiliary to form the past perfect. The second "had" is the past participle of "to have". We usually contract "I had" in this usage to "I'd", so it comes out "If I'd had a gun...."

You can use "would have had" in a sentence like this: "If I'd had a gun, I would have had to shoot him." In this case, "to have to" means "to be obligated to". "Would have" is usually contracted to "would've".

 

[farhankhan2007]

Thank you GoesStation,
So can we say If I had had a gun I would have had shot him?
Or its correct to say If I had had a gun I would have shit him?
I am comapring it with this one.
If I would have had a job I would have been broke.
I Wouldn't have been broke if I had a job.

 

[bhaisahab]

Thank you GoesStation,
So can we say 'If I had had a gun I would have had shot him'? No.
Or is it correct to say 'If I had had a gun I would have shot him'? Yes.
I am comapring it with this one.
If I would have had a job I would have been broke.
I Wouldn't have been broke if I had a job. Both of these are incorrect.

Bhai

 

[GoesStation]

So can we say "If I had had a gun I would have had shot him?":cross:
Or is it [STRIKE]its[/STRIKE] correct to say "If I had had a gun I would have shot him?":tick:
I am comparing it with this one:
"If I would have had a job I would have been broke.":cross: (but you may hear this usage in casual speech*)
"I wouldn't have been broke if I had a job.":cross:

See above. Always mark text you're asking about by surrounding it with quotation marks or setting it in italics.

It's always incorrect to say "I would have [STRIKE]had[/STRIKE] shot him."

*When people use "If I would have had a job", you should say "If I had had a job." They're using an informal style which your teachers should mark as incorrect.

 

[farhankhan2007]

I appreciate all you help, thank you so much.
If I make the last senetence as "I wouldn't have been broke if I had had a job" this sounds okay I guess?

 

[bhaisahab]

Yes, that's fine.