Would

Question

Do both of these have the same meaning? #1 is more polite than #2?

1. If someone tells you that you may park a vehicle in a garage, you would think that both parking a car or a bicycle in the garage would be okay.

2. If someone tells you that you may park a vehicle in a garage, you would think that both parking a car or a bicycle in the garage is be okay.

Thanks.

Paco2004 · Accepted Answer

Hello Jack

I feel "both parking a car or a bike" and "is be" are somewhat wrong. So let me change your sentences as follows.
1. If someone tells you that you may park a vehicle, you would think that parking either a car or a bicycle would be okay.
2. If someone tells you that you may park a vehicle, you would think that parking either a car or a bicycle is okay.

I feel two sentences above are slightly different in the meaning. I parse them as follows:
You would think that X = You probably think that X
1. X = It is probably OK to park either a car or a bike.
2. X = It is OK to park either a car or a bike.

paco

Sextus · Answer

Just a doubt: wouldn't it be better to say "If someone told you", or "you will think"?

Sextus

Paco2004 · Answer

Yes, I agree "you will think" also works. But I think "you would think" works too. I feel "would" connotes "less probable" than "will", but I'm not sure. I too would like to hear native speakers' opinions.

paco

Sextus · Answer

I still feel that it sounds much better if in the example one says "if someone told you".

Sextus

Pinenut · Answer

When we talk about a subjunctive construction, I think it is easier to understand it without the 'inserted clause, I would think' becasue that way one can clearly see the cause-and-effect relationship beteween the conditional clause and the main clasue.

1. If someone tells you that you may park a vehicle, parking either a car or a bicycle will be okay.
2. If someone tells you that you may park a vehicle, parking either a car or a bicycle is okay.

According to Collins Cobuild English Grammar, 1. describe a possible future occurence.
8.32 When you are talking about a possible future occurence, you use the simple present tense in the conditional clause and the simple future tense in the mani clause.

On the other hand, 2. describes a common occurence.
8.28 When you are talking about a common occurence, you use the simple present tense or simple present continuous tense in the conditional clause and in the main clause.

The inserted clause, I would think, describes the speaker's state of mind and the modal verb would conveys his politeness in expressing his thought. Therefore, the answer to the original question is this: Both sentences have different meanings and both are the same in the degree of politeness.

Paco2004 · Answer

Hello Pieanne

Thank you for the nice explation. I feel it's the best answer.

paco

Would

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions