“If they ___ me this job, I’d turn it down.” a) would offer b) were to offer I had this question in my test lately. The latter is the right answer, but I don’t really get the difference between these two. Could someone explain it? Answer If they were to offer me this job, I … Read more
Which timeline (past vs present vs future) does this sentence indicate? Project managers would have to organize copywriters, editors, and designers as well as feedback from clients or other stakeholders. Is it okay to use would + have to in “future imaginary situations” without having an if clause? Answer In a comment, John Lawler wrote: … Read more
I may be wrong here, but I think of the verb “will” as in the set phrase “if you will” as an actual verb, with the rare sense “wish, desire, want”, not as a mere future marker. Therefore, in this sentence: He wasn’t very bright, or kind of a dummy, if you will. …the “I … Read more
I am trying to understand what is the difference between these two sentences and which is correct. Please select how would you like to receive your messages? Please select how you would like to receive your messages? Answer In “how would you”, the verb and subject (you would) are inverted (would you?) to form a … Read more
I was watching Bird Box and there was a sentence I didn’t quite understand which was this: They took us outside and they forced our eyes open so that we would have to look at the creatures. He was only explaining what was happening to him, but why would he use “would have to”? It’s … Read more
Personal computers first made their appearance in the home in the 1970s, but surely few people would have been able to imagine then that the home computer could evolve into the super-fast, super-sleek machines of today. Nor could they have even thought that handheld mobile gadgets would [use constantly] by all of us, in our … Read more
A sentence from TE,however find no grammatical rules supporting the sentence. Thanks you in advance. Many politicians, business people, intellectuals, journalists and even whisky-swilling generals would far rather a more secular Pakistan. Answer “Would rather” means “prefer” so: ……would rather (prefer) a more secular Pakistan (than)… “I had enough of entertaining children and Ann would … Read more
Your collected Amazon Pay offer for Swiggy would expire by 31-Oct-2018. Please help me understand why ‘would’ is used in the place of ‘will’. Also, can we not use the simple present here that roughly translates to below sentence? Your collected Amazon Pay offer for Swiggy expires by 31-Oct-2018 Answer If the expiration is a … Read more
Both of these sentences feel wrong to me: if I am alone, I will go today if I would be alone, I will go today By looking up some rules, it seems that using would in the protasis is a common mistake, even if there are a few exceptions of the form if I would … Read more
Quote from a grammar book: “My parents are both teachers so you’d imagine I’d have no trouble at all academically.” I think using would in “I’d have no trouble….” is wrong because it is neither imaginary nor unlikely situation. In other words, the speaker is not likely to have an academic trouble. Please tell me … Read more
