[second conditional] [backshift]

Hello to all,

Thanks for reviewing my post.


Sample sentence:

If she knew that what we have been working on since yesterday would be finished much earlier than the time that she had an appointment with us, she would be likely to schedule an earlier appointment.

Question:

Is the sample sentence correct in terms of verb tenses if the implication is as follows:

But she doesn't know that what we have been working on since yesterday will be finished much earlier than the time that she has an appointment with us, so she is unlikely to schedule an earlier appointment.

Tense logic:

=>

doesn't know => knew
have been => have been
will be => would be
has => had
is => would be


Thanks a lot for any comments, corrections or suggestions!

Regards,
JJXR

JJXR said:

If she knew that what we have been working on since yesterday would be finished much earlier than the time that she had an appointment with us, she would be likely to schedule an earlier appointment.

I wouldn't backshift anything in the middle. I think that "if she knew" and "would be likely" is enough to make it clear that we're talking about an unreal possibility.

The 'unreal' 'if...then...' is:
If she knew ...(then) she would be likely to schedule an earlier appointment.
What is real and true is: "...what we have been working on since yesterday will be finished much earlier than the time that she has an appointment with us..."
Hence:
If she knew that what we have been working on since yesterday will be finished much earlier than the time that she has an appointment with us, she would be likely to schedule an earlier appointment.

If she knew had known that what we have been working on since yesterday would be finished much earlier than the time that she had an appointment with us, she would be have been likely to schedule an earlier appointment.

Or:

If she knew that what we have been working on since yesterday would be will be finished much earlier than the time that she had has an appointment with us, she would be likely to schedule an earlier appointment.

Which do you mean?

Thank you everyone for replying to this thread. I greatly appreciate your help.

london calling said:

Which do you mean?

The second of the two versions that you've posted.