would have done vs was going to do

[ademoglu]

Hi,

- I would have phoned you, but there wasn't time.
- I was going to phone you, but there wasn't time.

I cannot distinguish the difference in meaning between them. Could you please tell me in what situations I can use them. Can I use them interchangeably?

Thank you.

 

[ademoglu]

I would use 'would have done something' in the third conditional.
'I would have phoned you if there had been time.'

Not a teacher.

The first sentence is from http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/would. The second is mine.

 

[Rover_KE]

They are almost interchangeable. I don't see a great deal of difference.

 

[ademoglu]

Can we put a specific time such as yesterday or two years ago with whould have done?

- I would have phoned you yesterday, but there wasn't time.

Is that OK? Should I put 'by yesterday' instead of 'yesterday'?

 

[emsr2d2]

"By yesterday" is incorrect in that context.