would

Question

Hi,What is the difference btw:I would have enjoyed that.  (1)and:I would enjoy that.  (2)Quoc

Milky · Accepted Answer

Tung QuocHi,

What is the difference btw:

I would have enjoyed that. (1)

and:

I would enjoy that. (2)

Quoc

It depends. They both could refer to a past activity or the second one could refer to an activity in general.

Yankee · Answer

I'm curious as to how "I would enjoy that" can be used to talk about a  past activity.  Were you referring to the habitual past,  Milky?  It seems to me that "I would enjoy that" would most likely  be used to talk about something specific in the future.

Milky · Answer

YankeeI'm curious as to how "I would enjoy that" can be used to talk about a past activity. Were you referring to the habitual past, Milky? It seems to me that "I would enjoy that" would most likely be used to talk about something specific in the future.

Sometimes, native speakers use the "would enjoy" in place of "would have + past participle" if the meaning is understood in context.

EG

I went skiing last summer.

I would enjoy that had I been there.

(I would have enjoyed that had I been there.)

---------

Then we use the same expression for general hypothetical statements.

EG

John goes skiing every year.

I'm sure I would enjoy that were I to do it. (General time. Timeless. Hypothetical.)

------

Lastly, it can be used to, politely, talk about a specific future event.

EG

I'm going skiing next year. You should come. I know you would enjoy it. (Real event in the future)

Yankee · Answer

Milky
YankeeI'm curious as to how "I would enjoy that" can be used to talk about a past activity. Were you referring to the habitual past, Milky? It seems to me that "I would enjoy that" would most likely be used to talk about something specific in the future.
Sometimes, native speakers use the "would enjoy" in place of "would have + past participle" if the meaning is understood in context.

EG

I went skiing last summer.

I would enjoy that had I been there.

(I would have enjoyed that had I been there.)

That is an odd usage. Are you referring to British English? I don't believe I've ever heard anything like that in American English. (I'm a native speaker) I don't think the have would be omitted in spoken AmE but rather simply contracted and pronounced as "woulda". The most likey kind of tense "mangling" I can imagine (in spoken AmE) would be a sentence sounding something like this:
"I woulda enjoyed that if I was there."

J Lewis · Answer

I agree with Yankee - and I'm British. I would never say, referring to the past, I would enjoy that, but always I would have enjoyed that. The spoken contraction is I'd have enjoyed that, often contracted further to I'd've enjoyed that (not an official contraction), but the "v" of "have" is definitely heard. As for the continuation, had I been there sounds pretty formal and I'd normally say if I'd been there (certainly not if I was there when speaking about a past hypothetical situation).

Milky · Answer

<That is an odd usage. Are you referring to British English? I don't believe I've ever heard anything like that in American English.>

Not sure if it's only BE. If you haven't heard it in AE, it may not exist.

Teacherly Student · Answer

Hello:

I'm a new memebr here, a student of master in applied linguistics and teaching English courses as a part of my master program

anyway..

here is what I think about these sentences..

I would have enjoyed the party.. it's like you were invited to a party but you didn't go .. then later you would talk about it, if I went to the party, i would have enjoyed it .. but the truth is that you didn't go and you didn't enjoy it accordingly

on the other hand, I would enjoy the party, it refers to uncertain future .. like when u say, if i go to the party, i would enjoy it but you are not sure about it ..

please .. teachers .. feel free to correct me if i was wrong ..

happy to join the forum..

J Lewis · Answer

Welcome to the forum. First of all, could I appeal to you (and several others) to check your typing well and not to use mobile phone English? We others don't know if your mistakes are intentional or need correcting!

My comments:
If I went to the party I would have enjoyed it.
I wouldn't say this, but
If I had gone to the party I would have enjoyed it

for an uncertain future you suggest: If I go to the party I would enjoy it.
Again I disagree: if you are certain, you say I will enjoy it; if you are uncertain you say I might/may enjoy it. Would doesn't seem to fit here.

Best wishes
Lewis

Marius Hancu · Answer

J LewisMy comments:
If I went to the party I would have enjoyed it.
I wouldn't say this, but
If I had gone to the party I would have enjoyed it.

I agree.

One reason, IMO, for using the past perfect here in the condition is the fact that the "going" needs to precede "enjoying" here. But it's also the standard for past unreal conditional (perhaps for the same reason: the (if) condition needs to proceed the outcome).

http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/pastconditional.html#pastunreal

Milky · Answer

<

If I went to the party I would have enjoyed it.>

It is possible to say that, but it creates a kind of absurdity.

If I went to the party, and I'm not sure if I did, I would have enjoyed it.

Here, it's more acceptable:

If, as you say, I went to the party, I would have enjoyed it. I don't remember going though.

would

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