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English 1b3 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Habitual in the past in complex clauses

Do all of the below grammatically express a past habit, when the bracketed words are included and when not included?

a. David (always) drank when(ever) he would be upset.
b. David (always) drank when(ever) he was upset.
c. David would (always) drink when(ever) he would be upset.
d. David would (always) drink when(ever) he was upset.
e. David used to drink when(ever) he was upset
f. David used to drink when(ever) he would be upset
g. David used to drink when(ever) he was upset
h. David used to drink when(ever) he would be upset

Thanks
  

Top answer

B works as long as you use always or whenever , D works, and E and G work, which are identical. The ones with would be and a second would are wrong.

— RandomGuy

  • B works as long as you use always or whenever , D works, and E and G work, which are identical.
  • The ones with would be and a second would are wrong.
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24 Answers
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B works as long as you use always or whenever, D works, and E and G work, which are identical. The ones with would be and a second would are wrong.
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Aspara GusB works as long as you use always or whenever, D works, and E and G work, which are identical. The ones with would be and a second would are wrong.
OK, thanks. Here are the ones you didn't mention, so I presume all of these are incorrect in your eyes:

a. David (always) drank when(ever) he would be upset. I've rea
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I did mention the others.

David always drank whenever he would be was upset.
David would always drink whenever he would be was upset.
David used to drink whenever he would be was upset.

Would be is at once redundant and incorrect. The habit is the drinking, which is contingent on the
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Aspara GusWould be is at once redundant and incorrect.
Are you saying it is incorrect because it is redundant?
Aspara GusThe habit is the drinking, which is contingent on the feeling of being upset.
OK, yes, his drinking is contingent on the feeling of being upset, but that doesn't mean his being upset isn't habitual in t
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English 1b3David would (always) drink when(ever) he would be upset. This, to me, seems perfectly fine. What's wrong with it?
f and h. David used to drink when(ever) he would be upset. What's wrong with this?
"would", unlike "used to", can't be used to denote past states.

For example
I used to have a beard. (correct)
I would have a beard. (
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Thank you - I just read about this difference between used to and would also.

So if we replace the state of being upset with a habit, such as going out, the sentences are correct?

David always drank whenever he would go out on Friday nights with his friends
David would always drink whenever he would go out on Friday nights with his friends
D
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No, the would before go out doesn’t work for me. The habit is indicated earlier in the sentence. The going out is a condition of the habit.
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Aspara GusNo, the would before go out doesn’t work for me. The habit is indicated earlier in the sentence. The going out is a condition of the habit.
OK, having a good night's rest and a fresh perspective, I see what you're saying and I think I agree: The habit is the drinking, not the going out, which is the condition.

I was thinking for the result o
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English 1b3OK, having a good night's rest and a fresh perspective
It’s amazing what sleep can do, isn’t it? I too am seeing things in a new light! Yesterday, I felt that that the use of two habit indicators (one in the subordinate clause and one in the main clause) was redundant, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason for it.

Tell me if this makes a
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Aspara GusIt’s amazing what sleep can do, isn’t it?
I feel so strongly about this that I find myself always putting off doing almost everything until the next morning.
Aspara GusSince you want to express that the condition is a habit, the would in the main clause is redundant, since if the condition is habitual, then the consequence is
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