0
CopyLeft Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Would
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304177104577310050863533554.html
After three days of historic Supreme Court debate, the political world and health-care companies confronted the prospect of President Barack Obama's health law being wiped away, a decision that would upend years of planning by businesses and roil the November elections.
Among those set to implement the law, insurers would have to ditch changes to their businesses designed to bring in millions of new customers. Provisions that have already gone into effect, including letting children stay on their parents' insurance plans until they turn 26, would no longer be required.
Companies facing the law's requirements would be reprieved, including health firms set to pay new taxes and businesses that would have been required to insure their employees or pay a fee.
Why is "would" used instead of "will"? The patterns for conditionals are:
"if the law is overturned, .... will ...."
"if the law were overturned, .... would ...."
The article seems to be mixing the two conditionals?
After three days of historic Supreme Court debate, the political world and health-care companies confronted the prospect of President Barack Obama's health law being wiped away, a decision that would upend years of planning by businesses and roil the November elections.
Among those set to implement the law, insurers would have to ditch changes to their businesses designed to bring in millions of new customers. Provisions that have already gone into effect, including letting children stay on their parents' insurance plans until they turn 26, would no longer be required.
Companies facing the law's requirements would be reprieved, including health firms set to pay new taxes and businesses that would have been required to insure their employees or pay a fee.
Why is "would" used instead of "will"? The patterns for conditionals are:
"if the law is overturned, .... will ...."
"if the law were overturned, .... would ...."
The article seems to be mixing the two conditionals?
Top answer
I don't see the problem you see. I don't see an "is". A journalist would not use "will" there, in any event.
- I don't see the problem you see.
- I don't see an "is".
- A journalist would not use "will" there, in any event.
- Journalists do some strange things with English to avoid trouble.
- They do not want to be quoted out of context.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
11 Answers
0
I don't see the problem you see. I don't see an "is". A journalist would not use "will" there, in any event. Journalists do some strange things with English to avoid trouble. They do not want to be quoted out of context. If they had written "will", someone could quote them thus, "The Wall Street Journal wrote yesterday that insurance companies 'will no longer be required' to cover children
00
Thank you for your reply, enoon!
So, " is....., ... would" pattern is an new conditional pattern in additional to:
"is... , ... will"
"were ..., .... would"
?
So, " is....., ... would" pattern is an new conditional pattern in additional to:
"is... , ... will"
"were ..., .... would"
?
00
0
So, the author , without good reason, used "were..,...would", and assumed the impossibility of the health law being overturned, even though the case is a toss-up?
00
CopyLeftSo, the author , without good reason, used "were..,...would", and assumed the impossibility of the health law being overturned, even though the case is a toss-up?I'm starting to think that one if us is failing to understand something here. It's usually me when that happens. I don't see how using "were ... would" assumes impossibility. Please elaborate
00
Thank you for your reply, enoon!
Example:
"If I were rich, I would buy a new car now." = I am not rich now.
"If I am rich, I will buy a new car now." = means exactly that
Example:
"If I were rich, I would buy a new car now." = I am not rich now.
"If I am rich, I will buy a new car now." = means exactly that
00
"If the health law is overturned, insurers WILL have to ditch changes ."
"If the health law is overturned, insurers WOULD have to ditch changes ."
"If the health law WERE overturned, insurers
"If the health law is overturned, insurers WOULD have to ditch changes ."
"If the health law WERE overturned, insurers
00
Would is used in place of will to make a statement less blunt.
"If the health law is overturned, insurers WILL have to ditch changes ." Strong, definitive statement. It implies that the insurers have no choice in the matter.
"If the health law is over
"If the health law is overturned, insurers WILL have to ditch changes ." Strong, definitive statement. It implies that the insurers have no choice in the matter.
"If the health law is over
00
Thank you for your reply, AlpheccaStars!
So, the conditional pattern:
1 "..is.. , ... would"
does exist, in addition to:
2 "..is.. , ... will"
3 "..were.. , ... would"
.
Could the pattern "..is.. , ... would" be a modern 21st century invention, because grammar books only show patterns 2 & 3?
So, the conditional pattern:
1 "..is.. , ... would"
does exist, in addition to:
2 "..is.. , ... will"
3 "..were.. , ... would"
.
Could the pattern "..is.. , ... would" be a modern 21st century invention, because grammar books only show patterns 2 & 3?
00
If he misses the schoolbus, his mother would have to drive him. That does not work at all. It sort of works in AlpheccaStars' example, "If the health law is overturned, insurers would have to ditch changes," and I don't know why. I suggest you not use it.
0
Related Questions