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Stenka25 Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
The meaning of 'would'
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There's a story about a farmer who had a donkey. In that story there are the following sentences.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. The donkey would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well.
What I want to ask is the meaning of the underlined "would."
Can you tell me and another example if you can.
There's a story about a farmer who had a donkey. In that story there are the following sentences.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. The donkey would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well.
What I want to ask is the meaning of the underlined "would."
Can you tell me and another example if you can.
Top answer
Hi Stenka25 The word 'would' can be used to refer to a past activity that was habitual or often repeated. So, in your sentence, 'would' has the sense that the donkey shook it off and took a step repeatedly. When I was young, my family spent every August at the seashore.
- Hi Stenka25 The word 'would' can be used to refer to a past activity that was habitual or often repeated.
- So, in your sentence, 'would' has the sense that the donkey shook it off and took a step repeatedly.
- When I was young, my family spent every August at the seashore.
- My sister and I would go to the beach at around 10 in the morning, and we would spend the entire day swimming and surfing.
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2 Answers
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Hi Stenka25
The word 'would' can be used to refer to a past activity that was habitual or often repeated. So, in your sentence, 'would' has the sense that the donkey shook it off and took a step repeatedly.
When I was young, my family spent every August at the seashore. My sister and I would go to the beach at around 10 in the morning, and we would spend the entire d
The word 'would' can be used to refer to a past activity that was habitual or often repeated. So, in your sentence, 'would' has the sense that the donkey shook it off and took a step repeatedly.
When I was young, my family spent every August at the seashore. My sister and I would go to the beach at around 10 in the morning, and we would spend the entire d
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This use of would is associated with coordinated actions. So it has an implicit every time, each time, or whenever "floating around in the background", which gives the sense of coordinated repetition.
The trainer would throw the ball, and the seal would balance it on his nose. ~ [Every time / Each time / Whenever] the trainer threw the ball, the seal balanced it on
The trainer would throw the ball, and the seal would balance it on his nose. ~ [Every time / Each time / Whenever] the trainer threw the ball, the seal balanced it on
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