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Trompe-l'oeil Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

polite request: too many would-s

Hello,

Could you tell me if the following sentence is correct:

I would be honored if you would accept my invitation to be a part of my special day.

Is it a request, where second would indicates politness, or a conditional sentence/statement?
  

Top answer

Hello, Trompe-l'oeil, and welcome to English Forums. The sentence is certainly correct, and it seems to be both-- a polite request cast as a mixed conditional statement: I will be honored if you accept. I would be honored if you accepted.

— Mister Micawber

  • Hello, Trompe-l'oeil, and welcome to English Forums.
  • The sentence is certainly correct, and it seems to be both-- a polite request cast as a mixed conditional statement: I will be honored if you accept.
  • I would be honored if you accepted.
  • (present conditional/Conditional II) I would be honored if you would accept (2nd would is 'tentative volition' of the recipient of the invitation-- a courtesy strategy) The sample given in Quirk, et al is I'd be grateful if someone would hold the door open .
  • (Note to old hands here-- my first use of the phrase 'mixed conditional'-- "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em")
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3 Answers
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Hello, Trompe-l'oeil, and welcome to English Forums.

The sentence is certainly correct, and it seems to be both-- a polite request cast as a mixed conditional statement:

I will be honored if you accept.
I would be honored if you accepted. (present conditional/Conditional II)
I would be honored if you would accept (2nd would is 'tentative volitio
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it is a conditional sentence with a polite request
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