[Grammar] You would think (that) he would visit...

[NAL123]

Consider these sentences of mine, please:


1) You would think (that) he would visit his parents once in a while, but...


2) You would think (that) the school would have dictionaries in the classrooms, but...


My questions are:


a) Is the expression "You would think" always contrasted with a "but"? Can't we say, for example:


You would think (that) the school would have dictionaries in the classrooms. (without any "but", because I don't know whether the school has any dictionaries in the classrooms).


b) In all the examples I've seen till now with the expression "You would think", I've found the that-clauses(underlined in 1) and 2)) written in the past tense. Can't it be in the simple present or simple future tense? For example:


You would think (that) he visits/will visit his parents once in a while, but...


c) Can I use might in the sense of would perhaps in place of would in the expression you would think? For example:


You might(=would perhaps) think (that) he would visit his parents once in a while, but...


What other modals can be used in place of would in the expression you would think from the following: could, can, may, will?

 

[Tarheel]

You have asked about a dozen questions, so it's hard to know where to start. I can tell you that the "You would think" phrase means that's what's expected, but I guess you already know that.

Which question do you want answered first?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Consider these sentences of mine, please:


1) You would think (that) he would visit his parents once in a while, but...


2) You would think (that) the school would have dictionaries in the classrooms, but...


My questions are:


a) Is the expression "You would think" always contrasted with a "but"?

No.

Can't we say, for example:


You would think (that) the school would have dictionaries in the classrooms. (without any "but", because I don't know whether the school has any dictionaries in the classrooms).

Yes.


b) In all the examples I've seen till now with the expression "You would think", I've found the that-clauses(underlined in 1) and 2)) written in the past tense. Can't it be in the simple present or simple future tense? For example:


You would think (that) he visits/will visit his parents once in a while, but...


c) Can I use might in the sense of would perhaps in place of would in the expression you would think?

Yes.

For example:


You might(=would perhaps) think (that) he would visit his parents once in a while, but...

Yes. Or would think or might perhaps think.


What other modals can be used in place of would in the expression you would think from the following: could, can, may, will?

I can't think of another one. Use would, might, or may. The others don't fit.

If you want to modify any of those words further, there are plenty of adverbs you could use, like perhaps, maybe, possibly, probably, certainly, or reasonably.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, Charlie, you're smarter than me. But if I were still a moderator I would fix that quote box for you.

 

[GoesStation]

Well, Charlie, you're smarter than me. But if I were still a moderator I would fix that quote box for you.

Done.

 

[jutfrank]

I'm going to give you completely different answers from those in post #3.

a) There is almost always an implied sense of 'but', yes, although it isn't usually expressed explicitly. Though your example is not incorrect or impossible, it's odd because the use of this phrase is normally to express that something goes against expectations. Without any further context, the reader would likely assume you know the school not to have dictionaries.

b) No. Use would (or might).

c) Yes, you can use might, but not in place of the first would. You can replace the would in the that-clause, like this.

You'd think he might visit his parents once in a while.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Well, Charlie, you're smarter than me. But if I were still a moderator I would fix that quote box for you.

What are we talking about?

I always feel like I missed Act I.

My cat was smarter than I am.

 

[Tarheel]

Charlie, I was a mod when I was RonBee. I had trouble with my password, and I started a new account. Now, as Tarheel I have more posts than RonBee, who started the couplets thread.

When you're a mod you do stuff like approve new posts, delete inappropriate posts, move threads, and change thread titles (We don't want them all to look the same).