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25-Feb-2007, 10:55
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| |  Would
Hi,
“ Myer’s parents are British, which probably accounts for his ability – he would have grown up with the sounds around him.”
It seems I’ve never seen such (a?) usage of would. Could you please enlighten me?
TIA |
25-Feb-2007, 11:20
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| | Re: Would
Quote:
Originally Posted by Humble  Hi,
“ Myer’s parents are British, which probably accounts for his ability – he would have grown up with the sounds around him.”
It seems I’ve never seen such (a?) usage of would. Could you please enlighten me?
TIA | Hi!
I know you want a native speaker to answer you. But I think I have come across a sentence like this in one of my grammar books. So would have done
is used when we imagine a situation or an action in the past. |
25-Feb-2007, 14:03
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| | Re: Would
Hi Humble
I'd explain it this way: The word 'would' continues and clarifies the 'probably' part of the sentence. The only thing the speaker knows as a fact is that Myer's parents are British. The rest of the sentence is an assumption or theory about what was probably true in the past. |
26-Feb-2007, 05:31
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| | Re: Would
Thank you both.
Harry,
I guess what you say refers to conditionals, which is not the case here.
Philly,
That’s just what I thought. You’ve helped me realize it’s “They will have gone to bed”-type of certainty transferred to the past.
Regards |
26-Feb-2007, 10:01
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| | Re: Would
Quote:
Originally Posted by Humble “They will have gone to bed”-type of certainty transferred to the past. | Yup.  |
26-Feb-2007, 10:26
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| | Re: Would
Hi, Hunble!
What do you think of the sentences given below?
1.You helped me a lot. I don't know what I would have done.
2. I didn't go to the party though I was invited. I wouldn't have enjoyed it. |
27-Feb-2007, 04:10
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| | Re: Would
Harry,
Your sentences refer to Conditional III – passed situations that did not happen (unreal passed situations).
1. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t helped me.
2. If I had gone to the party, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it.
In the original sentence the speaker expresses his certainty – he is nearly 100% sure Myer “grew up with the sounds around him”.
I think he could as well say “ he must have grown up with the sounds around him.”
Regards |
27-Feb-2007, 04:23
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| | Re: Would
Quote:
Originally Posted by Humble Harry,
Your sentences refer to Conditional III – passed situations that did not happen (unreal passed situations).
1. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t helped me.
2. If I had gone to the party, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it.
In the original sentence the speaker expresses his certainty – he is nearly 100% sure Myer “grew up with the sounds around him”.
I think he could as well say “ he must have grown up with the sounds around him.”
Regards | Yes. I think "he must have grown up with the sounds around him" makes it easier to understand on the one hand and on the other it shows that the speaker is 100% sure of it. But I think we could say like this: He is more likely to have grown up with the sounds around him." |
27-Feb-2007, 06:12
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| | Re: Would
Mmm, it seems to me likely usually refers to the future, but I must make sure. |
27-Feb-2007, 07:16
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| | Re: Would
Quote:
Originally Posted by Humble Mmm, it seems to me likely usually refers to the future, but I must make sure. | Yes, I know. It's mostly used in future sentences. I just wanted to say it was more likely. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
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