Meaning of "would"

Question

It was so narrow that the wind of a passing train would blow me off the bridge. My legs felt like water. My mouth opened by itself. I couldn't move.

**********

Can the underlined part be understood as "I was afraid that the wind of a passing train might blow me off the bridge"?

"would" can be used in this way?

Coloraday · Accepted Answer

I think it should be "...would have blown...".

You're talking about something that is imagined which hadn't happened then.So in such cases you use would.It's actually gotten from a conditional sentence (here No.3 I think).
If a train had passed,its wind would have blown me off the bridge.

Pructus · Answer

Thanks a lot, coloraday!

You mean, "in such cases you use would have", not "would"?

Anonymous · Answer

Pructus: You have a very interesting point.  I found this sentence in Michael Swan's book: If you ASKED me nicely, I MIGHT ( =would perhaps; would possibly) get you a drink.  So could we change your sentence to the so-called 2nd conditional: If a train PASSED by, its wind WOULD blow me off the bridge.

Coloraday · Answer

AnonymousPructus: You have a very interesting point. I found this sentence in Michael Swan's book: If you ASKED me nicely, I MIGHT ( =would perhaps; would possibly) get you a drink. So could we change your sentence to the so-called 2nd conditional: If a train PASSED by, its wind WOULD blow me off the bridge.

But we use this kind to make unreal conditionals about the present time.And here the main sentence is in the past so I thought it might be reasonable to use conditional No.3 .

Anonymous · Answer

Can we get a senior or veteran member to opine?

Meaning of "would"

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions