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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

The modal "would" and its use

Hi. Would you say this modal use is the past of the modal "will"? I think I had written a post that had a sentence quite alike to this one as a question, and as an Anon, but didn't appear as a post.

He wrote it down. In this way, people would realize the gift that was given was from the chief.
  

Top answer

Think about a time in the past. Think ahead to the future relative to that past time. Then you have one of the uses of the modal "would".

— AlpheccaStars

  • Think about a time in the past.
  • Think ahead to the future relative to that past time.
  • Then you have one of the uses of the modal "would".
  • Your sentence is a good example.
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3 Answers
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Think about a time in the past. Think ahead to the future relative to that past time. Then you have one of the uses of the modal "would". Your sentence is a good example.
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Anonymousthis modal use is the past of the modal "will"?
Yes.

He is writing it so people will realize ... [will -- future of the present]

He wrote it so people would realize ... [would -- future of the past]

CJ
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Thank you both of you for your prompt help.
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