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Pooyan Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
adding 'would'
I'd appreciate it if someone could tell me the difference between these two:
"As the men went into their college years, they continued to return to the lake every summer. They spent their time fishing and reading and playing roles in homemade movies shot by Wardlaw, who is now a filmmaker."
As the men went into their college years, they continued to return to the lake every summer. They would spend their time fishing and reading and playing roles in homemade movies shot by Wardlaw, who is now a filmmaker.
"As the men went into their college years, they continued to return to the lake every summer. They spent their time fishing and reading and playing roles in homemade movies shot by Wardlaw, who is now a filmmaker."
As the men went into their college years, they continued to return to the lake every summer. They would spend their time fishing and reading and playing roles in homemade movies shot by Wardlaw, who is now a filmmaker.
Top answer
They would spend their time fishing and … Here would is used to describe past habits (fishing, reading, playing roles). The first example expresses merely that the actions took place in the past. Would probably belongs there.
- They would spend their time fishing and … Here would is used to describe past habits (fishing, reading, playing roles).
- The first example expresses merely that the actions took place in the past.
- Would probably belongs there.
- Incidentally, in both examples, I would merge the two sentences together because there is no certainty that the activities took place at the lake.
- As the men went into their college years, they continued to return to the lake every summer, where they would spend their time fishing and reading and playing roles in homemade movies shot by Wardlaw, who is now a filmmaker.
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3 Answers
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They would spend their time fishing and …
Here would is used to describe past habits (fishing, reading, playing roles). The first example expresses merely that the actions took place in the past. Would probably belongs there.
Incidentally, in both examples, I would merge the two sentences together because there is no certainty that the activities took
Here would is used to describe past habits (fishing, reading, playing roles). The first example expresses merely that the actions took place in the past. Would probably belongs there.
Incidentally, in both examples, I would merge the two sentences together because there is no certainty that the activities took
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Thanks for your reply. but in the two sentences above, the second one (would spend) doesn't sound better for a native speaker?
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