I would break one of his most important rules

[EngLearner]

My boss has certain rules, and if someone breaks them, they risk getting fired. For example, if I were to date a colleague, I would break one of his most important rules.

I wrote the text above. Is it correct with "would break", or does it require "would be breaking"?

 

[emsr2d2]

Both are possible.

 

[EngLearner]

A. My boss has certain rules, and if someone breaks them, they risk getting fired. For example, if I were to date a colleague, I would be breaking one of his most important rules and would most likely be fired.

B. My boss has certain rules, and if someone breaks them, they risk getting fired. For example, if I were to date a colleague, I would break one of his most important rules and would most likely be fired.

Version A means that I would get fired while in the process of breaking one of his most important rules, i.e., the dating is in progress when the firing takes place.

Version B implies a sequence of events: I would break one of his most important rules and then get fired, i.e, it could mean that at the time of being fired I would no longer be dating her (for example, we had gone on a date once or twice and then stopped dating).

If my interpretation is incorrect, how would you interpret versions A and B?

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't agree with your interpretations. Neither one indicates when the firing is likely to take place.

 

[jutfrank]

Version A means that I would get fired while in the process of breaking one of his most important rules, i.e., the dating is in progress when the firing takes place.

It means the breaking of the rules is in progress (that's the clause that's in the continuous aspect) when the dating happens. This affects the lexical aspect of the verb 'date', where the dating is more likely to be interpreted as an ongoing series of events, i.e., several dates as opposed to a single one.

I think this sentence is a good example of when to use would + be + -ing.

 

[EngLearner]

@jutfrank How do you interpret version B? Does it tend to imply that the hypothetical dating wouldn't be long-lasting?

 

[jutfrank]

@jutfrank How do you interpret version B? Does it tend to imply that the hypothetical dating wouldn't be long-lasting?

I'd say no but that it's less likely to be interpreted that the dating is a serial thing. This is because the verb 'break' has no aspect. As I said, I think the progressive aspect of 'breaking' affects the lexical aspect of the verb 'date', biasing it towards an iterative interpretation.

In any case, whether the dating is a one-off or not, I think version A is the better sentence. It doesn't matter what is 'correct' or what is 'possible', it matters what the best way of expressing what you mean is.

 

[tedmc]

"Would be breaking" describes the scenario or consequence of the action of dating better than the verb (would break) does.