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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

would be VS would have been?

1.a. The child would be about three years old then.
1.b. The child would have been about three years old then.
2.a. She would be 80 when she died.
2.b. She would have been 80 when she died.

I wonder if both 'would have done' and 'would do'
can sometimes refer to expectations concerning the past
without any difference in meaning.
  

Top answer

In the sense of logical deduction, only the b versions sound good to me. Clive

— Clive

  • In the sense of logical deduction, only the b versions sound good to me.
  • Clive
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5 Answers
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In the sense of logical deduction, only the b versions sound good to me.

Clive
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Thanks, Clive.
I found the use of 'would' in the a versions in dictionaries,
so I've been confused a bit.
If I said 'the child will have been about three years old then',
would it make sense, too?
The difference between 'will have done' and 'would have done'
is just a degree of certainty or hesitation?
I'd like to ask you why you think the a versions are not that good,
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If I said 'the child will have been about three years old then',
would it make sense, too? Yes
The difference between 'will have done' and 'would have done'
is just a degree of certainty or hesitation? Yes


I'd like to ask you why you think the a versions are not that good,
if yo
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Did you mean the point of view is not in the present but in the past?
Thank you very much and this is final question. Emotion: smile Sorry to
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Did you mean the point of view is not in the present but in the past? Yes
Thank you very much and this is final question. Sorry to bother you.
Someone's asked me if these two are virtually the same.
a. He will have arrived two weeks ago.
b. He would arrive two weeks ago.
and what's the difference if the two are close in meaning.
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