PP + would + about + past participle

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Marcio_Farias 1 24 213 Expert Member ·
On the structure PP[a] + would + about + past participle I've often wondered if 1) we could use almost instead of about and 2) wether using almost wouldn't significantly reflect on what the sentence means. Do you have any guidelines about it?

For example, I know I should not say or write, "I'd had almost given up hope of understanding it" implying "I'd about had..." I only don't seem to know why. Do you perchance know why? (Of all whys, this one has long bothered me.)

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[a] PP = Personal pronoun
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Marcio_Farias 1 24 213 Expert Member ·
On my previous post. The sentence "I'd had almost given up hope of..." should have read "I'd almost given up..."
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  • Flavia.lm
  • Localização: São Paulo - SP
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Flavia.lm 1 10 96 Expert Member ·
Marcio_Farias escreveu:(...) I know I should not say or write, "I'd had almost given up hope of understanding it" implying "I'd about had..." (...)
Shouldn't you? This is news for me.
Looking forward to reading the next comments,
Flávia
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Marcio_Farias 1 24 213 Expert Member ·
I think I entirely missed my own point. Let me try again.

The sentence "I'd about had the stranded guy for lost" doesn't read or sound the same as the sentence "I'd almost had the..." does it?

Thank you for yet another one of your much needed, time-saving brain-enriching replies.
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  • Flavia.lm
  • Localização: São Paulo - SP
  • Membro desde: 05 Jul 2009, 19:34
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Flavia.lm 1 10 96 Expert Member ·
<now it's even more difficult!>

Difference between the two sentences (by Flavia)
I'd almost had the... --> normal
I'd about had the... ---> strange

sorry for being so honest
that's just my point of view...
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Marcio_Farias 1 24 213 Expert Member ·
F, you mean you never saw the construction PP + had + about + past participle? Okay, no sweat. Let's leave it at that.