Would

CalifJim

anonymoushow is 'would've been' correct?

We would have been good for two years.

A lot of native speakers tend to put 'will' in the past twice, in effect. 'will' becomes 'would'; then 'would' becomes 'would have'. Maybe that's more grammatical machinery than necessary, but it sounds all right to us, and it is probably used more than just 'would'.

A conversation today:
— Why don't you have some eggs and toast?
— Because I have to get to work, and that will take too long.
A conversation many years from now, looking back at today:
— Why didn't you have some eggs and toast that day?
— Because it would have taken too long; I had to get to work.

One probable reason for this pattern is that in the first case (future), you can substitute 'would' for 'will' if you want to make it sound more tentative, less certain. If it is interpreted that way, the listener won't think it's the past of 'will'. To avoid confusion between tentative 'would' in the present and certain 'would' in the past, this pattern with 'would have' is preferred.

CJ

Thank you, CJ.