Would have

Question

I saw Ray Mears's survival show where he says these sentences with would have while explaining on the show. Could you tell me what 'would have' means in the sentences?
A: Reliable sources of food would have been particularly important.
B: River like this would have been vitally important.

I don't think these are third conditional at all. Please explain.

GPY · Accepted Answer

If the context rules out a true conditional, then "would" probably has a softening effect, describing something that he assumes happened, or plausibly should have happened, but falling slightly short of stating as a known fact that it did happen.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousI don't think these are third conditional at all.

You are correct. They are not conditional sentences.
They are sentences about the past.

Present future:
1. We are going on a wilderness survival course for a month. What should we think about?
Reliable sources of food will be particularly important.

There are some rivers in the wilderness. We can make a raft from tree branches.
River like this will be vitally important to get back home.

"Would" is simply the past form of "will".
will be = present / future
would have been = past.

Anonymous · Answer

AlpheccaStars AnonymousI don't think these are third conditional at all.You are correct. They are not conditional sentences.They are sentences about the past. Present future:1. We are going on a wilderness survival course for a month. What should we think about?Reliable sources of food will be particularly important.There are some rivers in the wilderness. We can make a raft from tree branches. River like this will be vitally important to get back home."Would" is simply the past form of "will".will be = present / futurewould have been = past.

I don't really think it's past of will either. Could you please check the video out? He says thes sentences at 12 minutes and 50 seconds in the video. I think it shows person opinion. Please check out the video.

Anonymous · Answer

Please help.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousI don't really think it's past of will either.

I stand by my post.
See this dictionary entry:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/would

would have

used to refer back to a time in the past from a point of view in the future: We thought they would have got home by five o'clock, but there was no reply when we phoned.

Anonymous · Answer

AnonymousI don't really think it's past of will either. Could you please check the video out? He says thes sentences at 12 minutes and 50 seconds in the video. I think it shows person opinion. Please check out the video.[video]

He said: Rivers like this would have been vitally important.

Anonymous · Answer

AlpheccaStars AnonymousI don't really think it's past of will either.I stand by my post. See this dictionary entry:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/would would haveused to refer back to a time in the past from a point of view in the future: We thought they would have got home by five o'clock, but there was no reply when we phoned.

In your sentence, there is a view of past, that would be 'we thought' but in my sentences, there are no views of past that indicates 'would have' is past of 'will have'. Thats why I am confused. What do you think? Did you watch the video? Please help.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Anonymous there are no views of past

The video begins "our ancient way of life, our hunter-gatherer ancestors,"
And "If we could travel back in time.."

One scientist in the video is a paleo-ethno-botanist.
Paleo- = very far in the past. They talk about the "Mesolithic."
The video is all about the ancient past.
Not just your grandfather's past, but some 40 generations ago.
Plants like this take us back to a diet that's been forgotten.
There are many examples of the modal perfect when they talk about the things they believe happened in this past society:

Pyrite could have been taken inland and traded.
Traps would have been used in these tidal rivers to catch fish.
Maybe this was their method. It could well have been.

Anonymous · Answer

AlpheccaStars Anonymous there are no views of pastThe video begins "our ancient way of life, our hunter-gatherer ancestors,"And "If we could travel back in time.."One scientist in the video is a paleo-ethno-botanist.Paleo- = very far in the past. They talk about the "Mesolithic."The video is all about the ancient past.Not just your grandfather's past, but some 40 generations ago.Plants like this take us back to a diet that's been forgotten.There are many examples of the modal perfect when they talk about the things they believe happened in this past society:Pyrite could have been taken inland and traded.Traps would have been used in these tidal rivers to catch fish.Maybe this was their method. It could well have been.

So I believe its not past of will for sure, right? 'Would have' been used to express more like their opinio, right Mam?

Anonymous · Answer

Or does it show probabilaity?

Would have

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