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A: Name three things you would wear under your clothes.B: Name a name of food you would eat every day.What does would mean here? Why can't we just use simple present? Thank you.

GPY · Accepted Answer

My guess is that the distancing quality of "would" is supposed to indicate that you personally might not wear or eat this, but people generally could. While "you" is often used colloquially to mean "people in general", it might nevertheless be unclear whether a boy should answer "bra" to "Name three things that you wear under your clothes", for example. If this is the reason, I'm not sure that "would" is the best solution though. I would look for another way, e.g. "Name three things that people wear under their clothes" and "Name a food that people eat every day".

"Name a name of food" is awkward and unnecessary. Just say "Name a food".

Fivejedjon · Answer

We receive many questions about similar questions with 'would', Some of us sometimes suggest that the reason is an implied if- clause, others that the would is a distancing of will in the certainty sense. Other ideas emerge from time to time,

Although my main interest in grammar is the workings of the tense system in English, I have never been able to come up with a completely satisfactory explanation for such uses of would. 'The 'implied conditional' explanation usually seems to work - except that when I have analysed my own use of would, I am not convinced that I have had any implied condition in mind.

This, unfortunately, does not help learners. My first piece of advice to my own learners when they have asked about this (once I've tried the 'implied conditional' approach) has been to make a note of such sentences when they are noted, and attempt to develop a feel for them. My second piece of advice is not to use would in such situations unless you have a good reason to do so.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousWhat does would mean here?

Oof! Who knows? One possible paraphrase invokes the idea of willingness.

What are you willing to wear under you clothes?
What food are you willing to eat every day?

Others have already given other possibilities.

AnonymousWhy can't we just use simple present?

We're not talking about what people actually do in this real world of ours. We're talking about what they would do in an alternate universe, so to speak.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

fivejedjonWe receive many questions about similar questions with 'would', Some of us sometimes suggest that the reason is an implied if- clause, others that the would is a distancing of will in the certainty sense. Other ideas emerge from time to time,Although my main interest in grammar is the workings of the tense system in English, I have never been able to come up with a completely satisfactory explanation for such uses of would. 'The 'implied conditional' explanation usually seems to work - except that when I have analysed my own use of would, I am not convinced that I have had any implied condition in mind.This, unfortunately, does not help learners. My first piece of advice to my own learners when they have asked about this (once I've tried the 'implied conditional' approach) has been to make a note of such sentences when they are noted, and attempt to develop a feel for them. My second piece of advice is not to use would in such situations unless you have a good reason to do so.

I completely agree with you. Would is really complicated in English, especially for learners. When they first get to know about 'would', they are taught to use would with If clause. That's how this 'if clause' thing sets up in their mind. If they can't find 'if clause', they tend to have problems understanding would. Like you said he best way to use would is just forget about 'if clause' and try to feel it.

Sherpa.????

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim AnonymousWhat does would mean here?Oof! Who knows? One possible paraphrase invokes the idea of willingness.What are you willing to wear under you clothes?What food are you willing to eat every day?Others have already given other possibilities.AnonymousWhy can't we just use simple present?We're not talking about what people actually do in this real world of ours. We're talking about what they would do in an alternate universe, so to speak.CJ

The sentences were used on the Ellen show to a celebrity in a game. The sentences are correct with would though, right?

GPY · Answer

AnonymousThe sentences were used on the Ellen show to a celebrity in a game.

I was assuming they were sentences in a test for English learners. This is the sort of context that would be very helpful to include in your questions, especially with words like "would" that can have all sorts of meanings and nuances.

Anonymous · Answer

GPY AnonymousThe sentences were used on the Ellen show to a celebrity in a game.I was assuming they were sentences in a test for English learners. This is the sort of context that would be very helpful to include in your questions, especially with words like "would" that can have all sorts of meanings and nuances.

Do you think would was used incorrectly in the sentences? 'name three things you would wear under clothes if you could afford.' This doesn't male any sense since she was telling those sentences to a celebrity.

Anonymous · Answer

Here is the link for the video.

GPY · Answer

Anonymous'name three things you would wear under clothes if you could afford.'

I'm confused now. This is a different sentence altogether. Now it has an "if" clause (albeit one that is not completely correct). Why has the sentence changed?

Anonymous · Answer

GPY Anonymous'name three things you would wear under clothes if you could afford.'I'm confused now. This is a different sentence altogether. Now it has an "if" clause (albeit one that is not completely correct). Why has the sentence changed?

The sentence hasn't changed. I tried to make sense out of the sentence making own if clause.

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