Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 13 of 13
Like Tree7Likes

Thread: It would have been fun.

  1. #11
    keannu is offline Key Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Korean
      • Home Country:
      • South Korea
      • Current Location:
      • South Korea
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    2,017
    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: It would have been fun.

    Quote Originally Posted by emsr2d2 View Post
    Given that there is no way of knowing whether it was fun for your friend (unless she already told you that she had fun), I find the use of "would have" quite odd.

    My friend went to a concert yesterday. It was probably fun.
    My friend went to a concert yesterday. I imagine it was fun.
    My friend went to a concert yesterday. It's likely that it was fun.

    I would only use "She would have had fun" if she hadn't gone.

    It's a shame my friend couldn't come to the concert last night. It would have been fun (for her, had she been there).
    If you went to the concert, you already know if it (the concert) was fun or not.
    Then, what is this grammar stuff talking about?
    http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/v...odal-would.htm

    would: Presumption or expectation
    * That would be Jo calling. I'll answer it.
    * We saw a police helicopter overhead yesterday morning. | Really? They would have been looking for those bank robbers

  2. #12
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • Czech Republic
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    17,000
    Teacher

    Default Re: It would have been fun.

    Quote Originally Posted by keannu View Post
    You mean it's always a certainty for counterfactual hypothesis? The daughter actually didn't enjoy it, so Jane is just wishing the counterfactual fact?
    No. Nobody has suggested that.

    The reason I made such utterance is because of this grammar I found on the internet. It was to show "would have pp" in some cases can have the meaning of presumption. ...Isn't there any possibility that "would have pp'" can be a certainty without any conditional mood?
    Yes, but the certainty is not as great as with 'will have + past particple', as a couple of us have explained.
    5
    Last edited by 5jj; 19-Dec-2011 at 10:51. Reason: typo
    keannu likes this.
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


  3. #13
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • Czech Republic
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    17,000
    Teacher

    Default Re: It would have been fun.

    Quote Originally Posted by emsr2d2 View Post
    Given that there is no way of knowing whether it was fun for your friend (unless she already told you that she had fun), I find the use of "would have" quite odd.
    emsr2d2 merely said that she found the use of 'would have' in your particular example quite odd. I happen not to find it as odd as she apparently does, but agree that we would probably be more likely to hear one of the alternative versions she suggested.

    We are dealing here with a construction that is fairly uncommon. Not everybody is going to see it in exactly the same way.
    emsr2d2 and keannu like this.
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Similar Threads

  1. For fun
    By Frank Antonson in forum Analysing and Diagramming Sentences
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 16-May-2010, 04:49
  2. [Grammar] It's so fun.
    By Unregistered in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 08-Apr-2010, 04:55
  3. fun?
    By Paula7777 in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 17-Nov-2009, 16:57
  4. something fun
    By angliholic in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 24-Jul-2007, 23:11

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0