I would agree

[Kontol]

Hello, emrs2d2. I see your sentence use "would" in this post here. Why do you say "I would agree" rather than "I agree?" What's the use of "would?"

1. Mprvp's #5– Can I add the preposition "in" to the beginning of the first two question?

1. In what country does he live?
2. In which country does he live?
3. Which country does he live in?

I think two is more formal than three.

2. emrs2d2's #6 – Note my corrections above. All three sentences are grammatical and I would agree that #2 is marginally more formal than #3.


here

 

[Tarheel]

We don't normally think about why we use a certain word or phrase. We just do it. Having said that, I would say that there are probably two answers -- a simpler one, and a more complicated one.

Maybe "I agree" is stronger than "I would agree". Maybe it isn't.

It is, I think, about speech patterns. What do I mean by that? Sometimes we use one, and sometimes we use the other. Can we agree on that?

So what's the answer? I'm still working on that.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's actually pretty simple. I would agree if I were asked.

 

[emsr2d2]

In general, I explain it the same way SoothingDave just did. However, it can also mean "I'm inclined to agree ...".

 

[Kontol]

In general, I explain it the same way SoothingDave just did. However, it can also mean "I'm inclined to agree ...".

I don't understand a little bit. For instance, I clearly ask you or forum members, then you asnwer "if you were to ask me", I would ..". How can like that?

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't understand. a little bit. For instance, if/when I clearly ask you or other forum members something, then and you answer the question, "if you were to ask me", I would ..". H how can like that it be a hypothetical?

And that's why I said it can also mean "I'm inclined to agree". That's what it means when it's not a kind of hypothetical.

 

[Rover_KE]

It's one of the uses of 'would' that's hard to explain.

For example, you could go into a store and ask the first person you see ''Who's the manager of this store, please?' and get the reply 'That would be me'.

Here, it means 'I am'.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't understand a little bit. For instance, I clearly ask you or forum members, then you asnwer "if you were to ask me", I would ..". How can like that?

It's just a way of adding a little distance. Haven't we told you this on numerous previous occasions? It's not really a proper conditional.