[Grammar] They would have looked up at the sky

[sania-baharat]

Can we replace would we "could" and "might"?

Might : Not certain, probability in the past and just guess.
Could: Possibility or ability in the past.

But I don't know what "would" mean here?

Neil: So in the past, before people had mechanicaltimepieces, how did they know when to arrive at work, for example – or when to finish?Rob

Rob: They would have looked up at the sky, and observed how the position of the sun, the moon,and the stars changed as time passed.

 

[teechar]

Can we replace "would" [STRIKE]we[/STRIKE] with "could" [STRIKE]and[/STRIKE] or "might"?

But I don't know what "would" means here?

Neil: So in the past, before people had mechanical timepieces, how did they know when to arrive at work, for example, or when to finish? Rob.

Rob: They would have looked up at the sky and observed how the position of the sun, the moon, and the stars changed as time passed.

.

 

[tzfujimino]

I think I'd write "... when to finish, Rob?" or "... when to finish? Rob?"