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Sabyakgp Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Using Would instead of Will in Future Perfect

Dear Friends,

I would like to how "Would" can be used in future perfect as a modal verb.

For Example.

Analysts predicts that world population would have risen considerably by 2010. (Prediction can be wrong, so using "Would" instead of "Will" means this sentence is less directive than the below one which is using "Will" )

Analysts confirms that world population will have risen considerably by 2010. (here analysts are confirming the likelihood of world population being increased by 2010).

But both of them are pointing to future. Are these sentences correct ? Can we use "Would" in future perfect in this way to mean something less likely to happen in future.

Or consider this:

Day "begins" at about 09:00 after 4 hours of sleep. So after doing the customary check on emails and stuff like that, I pack up all the rest of the stuff I have (computer being last, obviously) and then leave home.

So on the way to the airport, I finally manage to get Kara's number (to wish her a happy early birthday since I would have left by that time) through Linda -> Connie -> Bonnie. (I guess, speaker was not very sure that he would have left by that time, so he used would have left instead of will have left). Is my understanding correct ?

Another Example:

My company will have allocated 50 shares for me by Jan 2007, but it's of no use for me as i would have left the cmopany by that time. (Here again speaker is not sure whether he/she would be out of the company before Jan 2007, other Will could have been used instead of Would have).

Please let me know whether my understanding is correct ?

Regards

Sabya


  

Top answer

Analysts predi ct that world population could/may/might rise considerably by 2010. Analysts predi ct that world population should rise considerably by 2010. view=uk

  • Analysts predi ct that world population could/may/might rise considerably by 2010.
  • Analysts predi ct that world population should rise considerably by 2010.
  • view=uk
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12 Answers
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Analysts predict that world population could/may/might rise considerably by 2010.

Analysts predict that world population should rise considerably by 2010.

For should, see 2 here (probability):
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My company will have allocated 50 shares for me by Jan 2007, but it won't be of any use for me as I might/could/may leave the company by that time (anyway).

but I think you can also say (more rarely seen today):

My company will have allocated 5
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Thanks for your reply. But i think you didn't get my actual question. My question is can we use "Would" is future perfect as it was used in the given sentences.
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I got your question very well, and my answers show that would isn't the best verb for that, IMO. And just have a perfect form for the sake of it isn't justified. It's quite rare in future contexts.
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But I think you can use would here (but I don't like the perfect form in this case):

On the way to the airport, I finally manage to get Kara over the cellular, a surprise, since I would normally expect to be in the air by the time she usually is awake and picks up her phone.
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0 If introducing some conditions, you may be able to use 01i00would have02i00 wrt future predictions:02br
02br
01font01i00An population 01b00estimate02b00 of 30 million 01b00would have been02b00 achieved by the year 2087, 01b00had 02b00the fertility est
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Sabyakgp12cite10Dear Friends,12br
12br
10I would like to how "Would" can be used in future perfect as a modal verb.12br
12br
10For Example.12br
12br
11font10Analysts predicts that world population would have risen considerably by 2010.12font
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0 Well, for conditional examples, he should look here:02br
0500230hrefhttp://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditionalintro.html
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0Thanks Marius and Chad for your reply. I have used "Would have" because it's a fuure perfect.02br
02br
00Analysts predict that world population would have risen considerably 01b00by 201002b00.02br
02br
00or 02br
02br
00Analysts confirm that world population will have risen considerably 01b00by 201002
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0 No, I do NOT think your uses here are correct: 02br
02br
01i01font00Analysts01b00 predict02b00 that world population 01b00would have risen02b00 considerably 01b00by 201002b00.02font00 01font00 02font02i01fon

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