Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[shvetsov2005]

"If our savings rate goes up, let us say, in the next ten years, by 5 percent of GDP, we would have generated the resources for investment in the management of this new urban infrastructure that we need in order to make a success of our attempt at modernization and growth."

Shouldn't it be "If our savings rate went up...", because of this "would have generated..."?

Alexander.

[Anuradha Chepur]

If our savings rate goes up.... sounds better, since we are talking about future.

Add by then to the result clause: by then we would have generated....

[LucentShade]

Actually, I think "would have" should be "will" or "will have," since "goes" refers to the future. When using "would have" as a conditional, the other clause should be in past perfect, as in, "If the savings rate had gone up...we would have generated."

[Anuradha Chepur]

I agree "would have"is used with past perfect conditions. But grammars also treat "would" as an equivalent of "will", as in the following:

George Bush will be visiting India next month.
George Bush would be visiting India next month.

[Mister Micawber]

.

[Anuradha Chepur]

George Bush will be visiting India next month.
George Bush would be visiting India next month.

I agree once again with Mr. Micawber that the first sentence is an expected future and the second one is a possibility subject to conditions. I would also like to add that, though I cannot remember the source rightaway, I read somewhere (and was also told) that 'would' is an honorific form of 'will' which is used when we are talking about seniors or high-placed people like the President of a country.[/quote]

[Mister Micawber]

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Yes, 'honorific' would rings a bell for me too, Anuradha-- but I cannot find a reference to it, nor can I conjure up a sentence in which it is not in reported speech or expressed as a conditional:

The Times reported that Her Majesty would be attending the opening of 'Cats'... (if she has a mind to)

Her Majesty would be pleased to receive nominations for the Order of the Garter... (if anyone cares to submit such)
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[Anuradha Chepur]

It is generally used in the press, when talking about the itinerary of a visiting dignitary.

The Prime Minister would be visiting Hyderabad tomorrow. He would be landing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 10.30. The Chief Minister would be receiving him. From there he would be visiting Mahavir Hospital to inaugurate the polio campaign,.........

[Mister Micawber]

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That is very different from AmE journalese!
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[KazAV]

It sounds very strange to me also! Maybe it wouldn't to "The Times" readers though...