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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Usage of would?
Hi all
You know that would is generally used for the past form of will. Can we use to express "possibility"?
For example:
Tom would lift that heavy box. (like can/could/might)
The sea level would rise unexpectedly. (like could/might etc.)
Thanks
You know that would is generally used for the past form of will. Can we use to express "possibility"?
For example:
Tom would lift that heavy box. (like can/could/might)
The sea level would rise unexpectedly. (like could/might etc.)
Thanks
Top answer
). I can't think of any situation in which you would use those statements to express general possibility.
- ).
- I can't think of any situation in which you would use those statements to express general possibility.
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3 Answers
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Your statements can express a kind of "conditional possibility" in conjunction with an explicit or implicit conditional statement (for example, Tom would lift the box if he was here, if you asked him, etc.). I can't think of any situation in which you would use those statements to express general possibility.
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AnonymousCan we use ["would"] to express "possibility"?Not really. "would" expresses certainty, but in an imaginary situation.
Tom could lift that box. = Tom would (definitely, certainly) be able to lift that box (if you asked him; if he had to; if he wanted to)
The sea level would ri
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