biological weapon

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Yoong Liat

#544324 Mon, 21 Jul 08 09:14 AM

Hi New2grammar

Let's wait for a native speaker to reply, OK?

Yoong Liat

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006

Singapore

Veteran Member (6,010)

Yoong Liat

Grammar

New2grammar

#544326 Mon, 21 Jul 08 09:20 AM

I agree. It's always better to be confirmed by a native speaker.

New2grammar

Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006

Veteran Member (7,670)

Who wants to go sailing around the world with me?

Huevos

#544388 Mon, 21 Jul 08 11:13 AM

I know that sugar in the cake will make it sweet.

know / would = confirming hypothosis only (does not follow concordance)
know / will = confirming one understands the consequences of an imminent action
knew / would = confirming one understood the consequences of an action that was taken

Huevos

Joined on Tue, Mar 25 2008

Spain

Regular Member (548)

British Native

Yoong Liat

#544539 Mon, 21 Jul 08 03:51 PM

Hi Huevos

"We know that a successfully deployed biological weapon, whether dispersed over a city or introduced into the water, would cause millions of deaths".

"We know that a successfully deployed biological weapon, whether dispersed over a city or introduced into the water, will cause millions of deaths".

Is it possible to use 'will' instead of 'would'?

Yoong Liat

Huevos

#544547 Mon, 21 Jul 08 04:11 PM

Yoong Liat
Is it possible to use 'will' instead of 'would'?

Of course it is but as N2G says the meaning is different, subtlely different, but different.

A biological weapon would cause millions of deaths. => Biased towards pure hypothesis.

A biological weapon will cause millions of deaths. => Biased away from pure hypothesis.

Huevos

RayH

#544576 Mon, 21 Jul 08 05:07 PM

OK, guys. I'm afraid I might be jumping into the deep end of the grammatical pool here but what the heck, I'll give it shot. Smile

The original sentence: We know a successful deployment of a biological weapon, whether it's spread over a city or injected into our water, will cause millions of deaths.
Expresses certainty in the outcome.

We know a successful deployment of a biological weapon, whether it's spread over a city or injected into our water, would cause millions of deaths.
Expresses certainty in the outcome.

We know a successful deployment of a biological weapon, whether it's spread over a city or injected into our water, could cause millions of deaths.
Expectation but not certainty.

We believe that a successful deployment of a biological weapon, whether it's spread over a city or injected into our water, will/would/could/might cause millions of deaths.
Expectation but not certainty.

RayH

Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008

CA, USA

Regular Member (709)

Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert.

Yoong Liat

#544595 Mon, 21 Jul 08 05:44 PM

RayH
The original sentence: We know a successful deployment of a biological weapon, whether it's spread over a city or injected into our water, will cause millions of deaths.
Expresses certainty in the outcome.

We know a successful deployment of a biological weapon, whether it's spread over a city or injected into our water, would cause millions of deaths.
Expresses certainty in the outcome.

Hi RayH

To you, the 'will' or 'would' versions mean the same. I may be wrong, but to me, 'would' is not appropriate, as a successful deployment of a biological weapon WILL cause millions of deaths.

Yoong Liat

RayH

#544607 Mon, 21 Jul 08 06:17 PM

Yoong Liat
To you, the 'will' or 'would' versions mean the same. I may be wrong, but to me, 'would' is not appropriate, as a successful deployment of a biological weapon WILL cause millions of deaths.

To my reading the use of "We know" overrides any sense of uncertainty that might otherwise be indicated by the use of "would."

If you were to say "We believe a successful..." deployment "would cause" then I agree that there is uncertainty expressed.

RayH

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