The use of the grammar structure “if” + “would” in context

I stumbled upon it in this video. It is at 1 hour 21 minute and 42 second. If the Israelis would ever once just say we got screwed in 1948, and we are sorry it happened, we would be willing to make peace. I think it is quite clear that the sentence is conditional, thus … Read more

Not your run of the ‘will’ question tag

The following example is from an Italian quiz book whose aim is to help candidates prepare for English multiple choice tests. In many government-run “concorsi” (competitive exams) you might have to answer up to 100 questions in an hour or less. The fact is, you can’t afford to spend time figuring out the answer, it’s–as … Read more

Usage of “if you would”

In a recent conversation the following sentence came up: I would be honored if you would join me there, {name}. A friend of mine stated that this is grammatically wrong and the correct way would be: I would be honored if you joined me there, {name} I think that both versions would be fine. Who … Read more

English Conditionals and “would”

I’m having a discussion with my wife on English conditionals. She says we cannot have “would” in a hypothetical if statement: If I would want to change my address, should I let you know? She says that “would” can only occur in the second part (as in Type 2). If this is the case, is … Read more