Would in a before clause?
"In fact, more than a century WOULD pass before Recorde’s equals sign WOULD become the preferred symbol for equality."
The previous context has been talking about the past historical events,
and so I guessed I the simple past tense should be used in place of the two would's.
Why are the two would's used, and what are their meanings?
Top answer
would = was going to When writing from the point of view of historical events, the author already knows, at any given time in history, what [was going to / would] happen next. He can express this with the future of the past (would). CJ
- would = was going to When writing from the point of view of historical events, the author already knows, at any given time in history, what [was going to / would] happen next.
- He can express this with the future of the past (would).
- CJ
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would = was going to
When writing from the point of view of historical events, the author already knows, at any given time in history, what [was going to / would] happen next. He can express this with the future of the past (would).
CJ
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