If it rained, we would go by bus.

[Mobin Shabani]

Hi everyone,

The attached photo is from the book Oxford Practice Grammar by George Yule.
My question is about the part I have marked in the photo. Could we use would in the main clasue?

If it rained, we would go by bus.
If my uncle caught fish, he would always give us some.

The book says the main clause should be past simple. But it sounds correct to me to use would here.

What do you think?

 

[5jj]

Use the past simple.

ps. There is no photo attached.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi, everyone.

The attached photo is from the book "Oxford Practice Grammar" by George Yule.
My question is about the part I have marked in the photo. Could we use "would" in the main clasue clause?

If it rained, we would go by bus.
If my uncle caught fish, he would always give us some.

The book says the main clause should be past simple no full stop here but it sounds correct to me to use would here.

What do you think?

Note my corrections above. As a learner, don't try to start sentences with "but". You didn't attach a photo.

 

[Mobin Shabani]

Use the past simple.

ps. There is no photo attached.

Oh sorry!! I've edited the OP.

 

[5jj]

It is possible to use would in such factual conditionals.

 

[emsr2d2]

In both contexts in post #1, "would" means "it was our general habit to".

 

[jutfrank]

The modal 'would' works very well in such sentences, where it expresses its sense of past habitual and characteristic behaviour.

The book says the main clause should be past simple. But it sounds correct to me to use would here.

Remember that 'would' is past tense. 'Will' is present and 'would' is past.