[Grammar] Simple past-past perfect

[Proficiencystudent]

"It is probable that if his parents.....him that much, he....so successful. "

The answer is "hadn't supported/wouldn't have been". Why I can't use simple past in here?

 

[emsr2d2]

What do you think the simple past of "wouldn't have been" is?

 

[Proficiencystudent]

What do you think the simple past of "wouldn't have been" is?

I meant simple past for the first blank, why can't it be "didn't support/wouldn't be" ?

 

[Roman55]

The answer that you said in post #1 was the correct one makes sense. It means that they supported him in the past and he was as successful as he was as a result of that support. I would also assume that the support came before the success.

This version; "It is probable that if his parents didn't support him that much, he wouldn't be so successful." puts it all into the present, even with the use of the simple past. It means that they are supporting him now and he's currently enjoying his success. Furthermore, if you want to describe this situation in the present it would be better to say, "...if his parents weren't supporting him...".

 

[teechar]

The answer is "hadn't supported/wouldn't have been".

Was that an MCQ (multiple-choice question)? If so, what were the other choices?