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Johnson13 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
I'm sure a few days off would do you a power of good
In a dictionary, a sentence: I'm sure a few days off would do you a power of good.
In English, WILL and WOULD both can be used to refer to a present or future thing, and in this usage WOULD is considered as a less certain alternative. But in the sentence above, it is contradictory: when the speaker wants to use WOULD, how can he use the certain-implying SURE?
Do you think it's must or better to change WOULD to WILL?
In English, WILL and WOULD both can be used to refer to a present or future thing, and in this usage WOULD is considered as a less certain alternative. But in the sentence above, it is contradictory: when the speaker wants to use WOULD, how can he use the certain-implying SURE?
Do you think it's must or better to change WOULD to WILL?
Top answer
Do you think it's must or better to change WOULD to WILL? Language is negotiation, and often it is negotiation with oneself. The speaker has hedged his bets regarding certainty, that is all—it is a very natural utterance.
- Do you think it's must or better to change WOULD to WILL?
- Language is negotiation, and often it is negotiation with oneself.
- The speaker has hedged his bets regarding certainty, that is all—it is a very natural utterance.
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1 Answers
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Johnson13 when the speaker wants to use WOULD, how can he use the certain-implying SURE?Do you think it's must or better to change WOULD to WILL?Language is negotiation, and often it is negotiation with oneself. The speaker has hedged his bets regarding certainty, that is all—it is a very natural utterance.
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