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Nsfs2 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
Using 'without'
Hi,
I am confused about the form of the modals after 'without'.
1. Without water, life would be impossible.
2. Without water, we cannot live.
I am familiar with the use of 'would' in the first sentence - please correct my understanding- : it is hypothetical, ie, 'If we didn't have water, life would be impossible.'
Why is it not 'could' in the second sentence, as it is hypothetical as well?
Thanks.
I am confused about the form of the modals after 'without'.
1. Without water, life would be impossible.
2. Without water, we cannot live.
I am familiar with the use of 'would' in the first sentence - please correct my understanding- : it is hypothetical, ie, 'If we didn't have water, life would be impossible.'
Why is it not 'could' in the second sentence, as it is hypothetical as well?
Thanks.
Top answer
The first sentence is indeed stating a hypothetical: if water did not exist, life could not exist either. The second sentence is simply a fact about humans: without water, we will die. If the second sentence were "Without water, we could not live", then it would indeed be a hypothetical.
- The first sentence is indeed stating a hypothetical: if water did not exist, life could not exist either.
- The second sentence is simply a fact about humans: without water, we will die.
- If the second sentence were "Without water, we could not live", then it would indeed be a hypothetical.
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3 Answers
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The first sentence is indeed stating a hypothetical: if water did not exist, life could not exist either.
The second sentence is simply a fact about humans: without water, we will die. If the second sentence were "Without water, we could not live", then it would indeed be a hypothetical.
The second sentence is simply a fact about humans: without water, we will die. If the second sentence were "Without water, we could not live", then it would indeed be a hypothetical.
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Your explanation was clear, but I need to check something else, please.
The confusion in my understanding seems to have to do with how I understood 'without': I thought that all sentences using 'without' could be interpreted as conditional sentences whether type I, II, or III. It is clear this doesn't work.
So, 'If we don't have water, we will die' is incorrect, isn't it? As a f
The confusion in my understanding seems to have to do with how I understood 'without': I thought that all sentences using 'without' could be interpreted as conditional sentences whether type I, II, or III. It is clear this doesn't work.
So, 'If we don't have water, we will die' is incorrect, isn't it? As a f
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All these are correct:
Without water, humans die.
Without water, humans will die.
If humans do not have water, they die.
If humans do not have water, they will die.
Without water, humans die.
Without water, humans will die.
If humans do not have water, they die.
If humans do not have water, they will die.
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