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"He would of"? Shame, kalinka! :) I guess I have a rudimentary understanding, though... tell me, is this "high form"? Would uneducated Russians be familiar with the было construction?

So they can both have meaning within that variety? What about Он начал закрывать окно?

So, if I have this right...

Он закрывал окно. He shut the window, but opened it again.

Он закрыл было окно. He shut the window partway, and stopped.

:?:

So it means you did something, but didn't carry it to the logical conclusion?

I mean, if native speakers don't agree on what it means...

I take it students might do better to just stay away from было constructions?