Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[vinc1014]

Dear teachers,
I would really like to know your opinion about the following quesetion:
Here is the passage from my English textbook :
"A colleague called me some time ago to ask if I would act as a referee to
help settle an argument about the grading of an examination question. My
colleague wanted to give a student a zero for his answer to a physics
question, while the student claimed he should receive a perfect score
and would do so if the system were not set up against him."

Can I change the last part of the paragragh into:
.... he should receive a perfect score and would do so if the system had
not been set up against him?

If it is acceptable, what is the difference in terms of meaning?
Thanks for yor help

[buddhaheart]

I think I have trouble with the phrase �would do so� after the conjunction �and�. It probably makes more sense if it were written instead ��and he would have�.