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English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Would be

a. There are examples where this would be required, in which case what would you do?

b. There are examples where this is required, in which case what would you do?

Is the difference that 'would' has an implied conditional? But since it is implied, I don't feel like it has much difference from b...
  

Top answer

I agree.

— Mister Micawber

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10 Answers
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Thanks. Which would you recommend using therefore?
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A is less cocksure, more polite, so B would probably be used by a higher-status speaker, relative to the listener. (I think you need semicolons after 'required', by the way.)
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Mister Micawber(I think you need semicolons after 'required', by the way.)

I assume you are suggesting 'in which case what would you do' is a main clause...

But I was under the impression 'in which case' made the clause dependent (since which is a relative pronoun), in the same way that 'during which time' makes a clause dependent. Please explain
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Turns out that I'm right:

A relative clause that refers to or modifies entire clauses in this manner is called a sentential clause. Sometimes the "which" of a sentential clause will get tucked into the clause as the determiner of a noun:

  • Charlie might very well take a job as headmaster, in which case the school might as well close down
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Well, I like that website, so I'll go along with that assessment. It still reads a little 'comma-splice' or something to me, though.
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I was under the same impression until a while back when BillJ informed me of 'which' working thus. Formerly, I used a semicolon. Now, a comma. Take ya pick. Or you could of course go for the grossly overused dash.
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Now, now– the m-dash is perfect for the kind of informal communicating we do here and in most of our other correspondence nowadays. I don't think it's overused– there's just more writing for which it's appropriate.
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Mister Micawber I don't think it's overused– there's just more writing for which it's appropriate.

Cogent reply. But then it all boils down to how you define 'appropriate.' For instance, I bet you don't write in txt-language, but some would argue this is fine for the majority of our correspondence nowadays. Isn't it better to withold from overusing any in
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Naw! Appropriateness, however, is the most difficult part of any language to learn, I think.
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