could've/I'd be

Question

HiIs it a good sentence (I didn't write it):Honestly I believe, I even could've listened to the worst bands or artists, if I'd be missing something from my homeland.I'm wondering why the author used: ...could've listened..I would write:I even could listen to the ....Then he wrote: If I'd be missing something from my homeland. ---is it correct?Thanks

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Is it a good sentence (I didn't write it):

Honestly I believe, I even could've listened to the worst bands or artists, if I'd be missing something from my homeland.

I'm wondering why the author used: ...could've listened..

I would write:I even could listen to the ..

Then he wrote: If I'd be missing something from my homeland. ---is it correct?

It's a poor sentence, and it's hard to find a clear meaning.

'I could listen' if the person is talking about now.
'I could have listened' if he is talking about eg 10 years ago.

The conditional clause needs rewriting because it is hard to understand its tense and to see how it relates in meaning to the rest of the sentence.

The more common collocation in writing for 'Honestly I believe . . ' is 'I honestly believe . . '

The normal collocation for 'even' here is 'I could even have . . .

Clive

Newguest · Answer

Hi

How would you write it Clive?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Well, are we talking about how I feel now, or how I felt 10 years ago?

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

Sorry for butting in.
I think he's trying to say this:
At times I was so homesick for the music of my own country that I honestly believe I could've listened to it even if (it was) played by the worst bands or artists.

He uses I'd be missing (I would be missing) somewhat awkwardly, I think. It's clearly intended as the 'would of habit', similar to this:

If I would get homesick, I would listen to music.

But would doesn't work well in an if clause. The more usual pattern is, of course,
If I got homesick, I would listen to music.
CJ

Newguest · Answer

Thank you for clarifications guys!!!!  <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/5.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/5.gif' alt='Emotion: wink'/>

Clive · Answer

Hi,
You're welcome, Newguest.

I asked you the follow-up question because I thought it would be good for you to think about what the intended meaning might be, before I answered you in more detail.

Best wishes, Clive

Newguest · Answer

CliveHi,
You're welcome, Newguest.

I asked you the follow-up question because I thought it would be good for you to think about what the intended meaning might be, before I answered you in more detail.

Best wishes, Clive

I understand. Thanks

could've/I'd be

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