A fish would have gills.

[Kontol]

How does "would" works in this sentence?

Cokro: Is a whale a fish?
Peter : No. A whale has lungs. A fish would have gills.

 

[tedmc]

How Does "would" works in this sentence?

Cokro: Is a whale a fish?
Peter : No. A whale has lungs. A fish would have gills.

Since we are talking about facts, I don't think "would" is appropriate. I would write:

A whale has lungs whereas a fish has gills.

 

[probus]

You are quite correct @tedmc, strictly speaking. But such usages of "would" are common in colloquial speech.

For example:

Do you think that's an oyster?
No. An oyster would have one side that's flat..

 

[emsr2d2]

Think of it like a conditional:

If it were a fish, it would have gills.

 

[Kontol]

Think of it like a conditional:

If it were a fish, it would have gills.

Why does the speaker omit the word "if?" Could you also explain what "hypothetical" actually means in the use of "would?"

 

[Tdol]

Because they are not going to repeat themselves and say If whales were fish, they would have gills, but they have lungs, which means they are not fish. It's simply too complicated- the original is simple and clear.

 

[emsr2d2]

Why does the speaker omit the word "if?" Could you also explain what "hypothetical" actually means in the use of "would?"

We don't just omit "If" there. "If it were" and "it" can be omitted with no change in meaning.

 

[Kontol]

We don't just omit "If" there. "If it were" and "it" can be omitted with no change in meaning.

My friend says "would" here is not a conditional, but hypothetical. Could you tell me what it means?

 

[probus]

First of all, @emsr2d2 didn't say it was conditional. She said you could think of it like a conditional. Anyhow I can't see why it would make the slightest difference either way. And you should probably look up the term hypothetical.

 

[jutfrank]

My friend says "would" here is not a conditional, but hypothetical. Could you tell me what it means?

Who is your friend? An English expert? Why didn't you ask your friend what he/she meant?

And please tell us where you saw the original sentence in the first place.