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Park sang joon Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Would - a conditional vs a surmise
I don't know whether you guys use the term 'subjunctive', so I won't use it.
I've had a hard time in understanding the usage of the word 'would'.
A Martian would do it.
Below is my interpretation.
1) I don't know whether or not he is a Martian, but if he is a Martian, he would do it.
2) I know he isn't a Martian, but if he was a Martian, he would do it.
Which is correct interpretation? - 1), 2) or, both 1) and 2)
In addition, does the word 'would' have the usage that the speaker surmise the situation to have happened in the past with it at present?
, same as the following sentence.
After lunch, he would take a nap.
-- I think he probably took a nap after lunch.
In advance, Thank you for your help.
I've had a hard time in understanding the usage of the word 'would'.
A Martian would do it.
Below is my interpretation.
1) I don't know whether or not he is a Martian, but if he is a Martian, he would do it.
2) I know he isn't a Martian, but if he was a Martian, he would do it.
Which is correct interpretation? - 1), 2) or, both 1) and 2)
In addition, does the word 'would' have the usage that the speaker surmise the situation to have happened in the past with it at present?
, same as the following sentence.
After lunch, he would take a nap.
-- I think he probably took a nap after lunch.
In advance, Thank you for your help.
Top answer
It is difficult to answer your questions because you give so little context. 'A Martian would do it' means nothing to me. We don't know what it is a Martian would do or in what circumstances he/she/it would do it.
- It is difficult to answer your questions because you give so little context.
- 'A Martian would do it' means nothing to me.
- We don't know what it is a Martian would do or in what circumstances he/she/it would do it.
- We don't even know if Martians exist in the world you are writing about.
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15 Answers
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It is difficult to answer your questions because you give so little context. 'A Martian would do it' means nothing to me.
We don't know what it is a Martian would do or in what circumstances he/she/it would do it. We don't even know if Martians exist in the world you are writing about.
We don't know what it is a Martian would do or in what circumstances he/she/it would do it. We don't even know if Martians exist in the world you are writing about.
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A Martian would do it - if this is a sentence about normal people, then it means your 2), Park Sang Joon. You need to say if he were a Martian (for conditions which cannot be met). This sentence, 2), is almost meaningless, of course, because we don't have information about how Martians behave.
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Thank you both for you post.
I know usage of thw word 'would' as habitual actions in the past.
Is it possible to use the word 'was' in place of the word 'were' in contemporary English?
Anyway, the above examples were made by me, and I didn't intentionally put the front and the back sentences so that you can induce various situations.
I'd like to only know with the word 'would', we
I know usage of thw word 'would' as habitual actions in the past.
Is it possible to use the word 'was' in place of the word 'were' in contemporary English?
Anyway, the above examples were made by me, and I didn't intentionally put the front and the back sentences so that you can induce various situations.
I'd like to only know with the word 'would', we
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The situation with If I was against If I were is as follows, in my view:
In American English, in the second conditional, you have to say if I were. If I was is regarded as incorrect and illiterate.
In American English, in the second conditional, you have to say if I were. If I was is regarded as incorrect and illiterate.
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Thank you Thomas Tompion for your account.
Do you know the subjunctive by any chance?
I suppose the second conditional is like the subjunctive.
Do you know the subjunctive by any chance?
I suppose the second conditional is like the subjunctive.
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Thomas TompionIn British English, in the second conditional, we can distinguish between impossible conditions - if I were you - and possible, though currently unfulfilled conditions - if I was in Paris.We can always use 'were' for present and unreal/counterfactual situations:
If John were here tomorrow, he would be able to solve the problem.
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park sang joonI suppose the second conditional is like the subjunctive.The verb in second conditional sentences is technically in the subjunctive mood. However, BE is the only verb in English that has distinct subjunctive form, and many speakers of British English do not use it these days. That is why many teachers see little point in even mentioning the sub
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Thank you fivejedjon for your informative post.
Then, is the first conditional for the possible situation, and is the second conditional for the impossible situation?
Then, is the first conditional for the possible situation, and is the second conditional for the impossible situation?
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If it rains tomorrow, the picnic is cancelled.
Condition 1-Winds is kicking up and clouds are gathering. We have a picnic planned for the weekend. The way it looks, chance of rain is quite good. In everyday scenario, it is used frequently.
John has recently retired. The enginnering group is faced with a big problem and no one knows how to solve it. Someone suddenly said: If john we
Condition 1-Winds is kicking up and clouds are gathering. We have a picnic planned for the weekend. The way it looks, chance of rain is quite good. In everyday scenario, it is used frequently.
John has recently retired. The enginnering group is faced with a big problem and no one knows how to solve it. Someone suddenly said: If john we
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If we use a past tense in an if clause with reference to a future-time situation, then we are presenting it as theoretically possible:
I would be distraught if my mother died tomorrow.
We would be quite surprised if the Pope announced tomorrow that he was converting to Islam.
If we use a past tense in an if clause with reference to a present-time s
I would be distraught if my mother died tomorrow.
We would be quite surprised if the Pope announced tomorrow that he was converting to Islam.
If we use a past tense in an if clause with reference to a present-time s
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