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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
would in the present or in the past
Hi,
Can you tell me if the modal verb 'would' has present-time meaning or past-time meaning? I get confused by the existence of a phrase "From a very young age."
From a very young age, my mom would read me stories.
Can you tell me if the modal verb 'would' has present-time meaning or past-time meaning? I get confused by the existence of a phrase "From a very young age."
From a very young age, my mom would read me stories.
Top answer
Would is possible in structures referring to the past, present and future. All depends on context and the infinitive used with it. In your sentence a present infinitive (read) follows would.
- Would is possible in structures referring to the past, present and future.
- All depends on context and the infinitive used with it.
- In your sentence a present infinitive (read) follows would.
- This combination usually refers to the present or the future but since your sentence begins with From a very young age , common sense tells us that would means used to in the sentence.
- Similar examples: He would go to church in his yonger days.
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1 Answers
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Would is possible in structures referring to the past, present and future. All depends on context and the infinitive used with it. In your sentence a present infinitive (read) follows would. This combination usually refers to the present or the future but since your sentence begins with From a very young age, common sense tells us that would means used to in the
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