Would

Question

When someone's wife disappears, you'do expect to see a level of emotion. Or When someone's wife disappeared, you'do expect to see a level of emotion. Which one is grammatically correct?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Anonymousyou'do

What in the world is this?

AnonymousWhen someone's wife disappears, ~~you'do~~ you'd expect to see a (certain) level of emotion.

As shown above.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim Anonymousyou'doWhat in the world is this?AnonymousWhen someone's wife disappears, you'do you'd expect to see a (certain) level of emotion.As shown above.CJ

Typo.

So, the one with 'disappeared' is incorrect? Why is that? Thank you.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousTypo.

OK. Got it.

AnonymousSo, the one with 'disappeared' is incorrect?

Right.

AnonymousWhy is that?

You have a generic statement in which "when" has the meaning of "whenever", and "someone's wife" means "anyone's wife". Why use the past, indicating a specific incident where "someone's wife" means a certain man's wife? That would go more like this:

When someone's wife disappeared, everyone in the community was shocked and began to search for her.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim AnonymousTypo.OK. Got it.AnonymousSo, the one with 'disappeared' is incorrect?Right.AnonymousWhy is that?You have a generic statement in which "when" has the meaning of "whenever", and "someone's wife" means "anyone's wife". Why use the past, indicating a specific incident where "someone's wife" means a certain man's wife? That would go more like this:When someone's wife disappeared, everyone in the community was shocked and began to search for her.CJ

Isnt it a second conditional? What does would mean here?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousIsnt it a second conditional?

"Conditional" implies there is a condition. This is a clause with "when", not with "if", so I don't see any condition. In short, no, it's not any kind of conditional.

AnonymousWhat does would mean here?

I assume you mean in the sentence

When someone's wife disappeared, you'd expect to see a certain level of emotion.

The sentence is not quite right, so it's difficult to interpret would, or rather 'd. In the past like this, I suppose you could interpret it as "used to", but it's a very unusual thing to say. It means

Whenever someone's wife disappeared (as if this were a common occurrence), people used to expect to see a certain level of emotion.

Unless it's in a story about wife-abducting aliens, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim AnonymousIsnt it a second conditional?"Conditional" implies there is a condition. This is a clause with "when", not with "if", so I don't see any condition. In short, no, it's not any kind of conditional.AnonymousWhat does would mean here?I assume you mean in the sentenceWhen someone's wife disappeared, you'd expect to see a certain level of emotion.The sentence is not quite right, so it's difficult to interpret would, or rather 'd. In the past like this, I suppose you could interpret it as "used to", but it's a very unusual thing to say. It meansWhenever someone's wife disappeared (as if this were a common occurrence), people used to expect to see a certain level of emotion.Unless it's in a story about wife-abducting aliens, it doesn't make a lot of sense.CJ

Sir, I was talking about the correct sentence. This one:

When someone's wife disappears, you'd expect to see a level of emotion. What does would mean here? Is it like less confident than will?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI was talking about ...
When someone's wife disappears, you'd expect to see a level of emotion.

Oh. OK.

You can use the present or the would form. will is not typically used with this kind of sentence.

When(ever) someone's wife disappears,
you expect ... [neutral]
you'd expect ... [tentative, less confident]

Even though 'd may be more tentative, I think it shows a greater degree of moral outrage in this context (because of the word 'expect').

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you.

Anonymous · Answer

Can I say, 'when you break up with you girlfrien, you would get tense and you wouldn't try to make another girlfriend right away. But Alex is not like that.? Correct with would as less confident?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousCan I say, 'When you break up with you girlfriend, you would get tense and you wouldn't try to make another girlfriend right away. But Alex is not like that.? Correct with would as less confident?

No. You don't want that. "might" expresses the thought better than "would" here.

When you break up with your girlfriend, you might get tense and not want another girlfriend right away. But Alex isn't like that.

"would" goes better with "if". Second conditional:

If you broke up with your girlfriend, you would (probably) get tense and not want another girlfriend right away. But Alex isn't like that.

CJ

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