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Icadia Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
A question about "would"
This definition is from OALD7
(usually disapproving) used for talking about behaviour that you think is typical:
examples : You would go and spoil it, wouldn't you!
She said it was your fault.’ ‘Well, she would say that, wouldn’t she? She’s never liked me.
I think "Would" here seems to mean "a habitual behavior" ,not "a past habit".
as far as I know, would can be used to express "a past habit". however the "would" from the definition seem to refer to the present habit a speaker disapproves of.
Here is another example from "Dear abby"
My friends are horrified. They say I could be injured and that any man who would physically " fight" a woman is a potential wife-beater or worse.
I don't think the would in the sentence above means a past habit.
Am I understanding it correctly?
(usually disapproving) used for talking about behaviour that you think is typical:
examples : You would go and spoil it, wouldn't you!
She said it was your fault.’ ‘Well, she would say that, wouldn’t she? She’s never liked me.
I think "Would" here seems to mean "a habitual behavior" ,not "a past habit".
as far as I know, would can be used to express "a past habit". however the "would" from the definition seem to refer to the present habit a speaker disapproves of.
Here is another example from "Dear abby"
My friends are horrified. They say I could be injured and that any man who would physically " fight" a woman is a potential wife-beater or worse.
I don't think the would in the sentence above means a past habit.
Am I understanding it correctly?
Top answer
Hi, "would" is used in a lot of different ways, so I don't think you can generalize. ’ ‘Well, she would say that, wouldn’t she? She’s never liked me.
- Hi, "would" is used in a lot of different ways, so I don't think you can generalize.
- ’ ‘Well, she would say that, wouldn’t she?
- She’s never liked me.
- ) My friends are horrified.
- They say I could be injured and that any man who would physically " fight" a woman is a potential wife-beater or worse.
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3 Answers
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Hi,
"would" is used in a lot of different ways, so I don't think you can generalize. Just as an example, here's how I personally understand your sentences:
She said it was your fault.’ ‘Well, she would say that, wouldn’t she? She’s never liked me. Would = future in the past used like "it was obvious she would say that (later, after that, sooner or later, etc.)
"would" is used in a lot of different ways, so I don't think you can generalize. Just as an example, here's how I personally understand your sentences:
She said it was your fault.’ ‘Well, she would say that, wouldn’t she? She’s never liked me. Would = future in the past used like "it was obvious she would say that (later, after that, sooner or later, etc.)
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Icadiathe "would" from the definition seem to refer to the present habit a speaker disapproves of.Yes. This is true. It means approximately "It is just like [you / her / him / ...] to do something like this".
She would say that, wouldn't she? = It's just like her to say that, isn't it?
as far as I know, would can be used to expre
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