Are these two sentences the same in meaning?

   Share on Facebook  
Anonymous  #373459  Fri, 01 Jun 07 08:51 AM

I'd be happy if someone would answer my question. Thanks in advance.

  Are these two sentences the same in meaning?

A:  I accept your offer.

B:  I would accept your offer.


  Again, are these two sentences the same in meaning?

C:  I apologize.

D:  I would apologize.


  Yet again, are these two sentences the same in meaning?

E:  It's going to rain. I advise you to take an umbrella with you.

F:  It's going to rain. I would advise you to take an umbrella with you.


   I think A, C and E express actions (accepting /  apologizing / advising) which end immediately after saying.

   But how about B, D and F? Do these have the same function as A, C and E?
   (Is A the same as B?   / Is C the same as D?   / Is E the same as F?)


   I think B, D and F just help say in a roundabout way.

  
Doll  #373805  Sat, 02 Jun 07 12:11 AM

I'd be happy if someone would answer my question. Thanks in advance.

  Are these two sentences the same in meaning?

A:  I accept your offer.

B:  I would accept your offer. --- Second one is hypothetical. It means the offer has not been accepted yet.


  Again, are these two sentences the same in meaning?

C:  I apologize.

D:  I would apologize. --- Same reason with the above.


  Yet again, are these two sentences the same in meaning?

E:  It's going to rain. I advise you to take an umbrella with you.

F:  It's going to rain. I would advise you to take an umbrella with you. --seems meaningless to me in this sentence.


   I think A, C and E express actions (accepting /  apologizing / advising) which end immediately after saying. --- In a dialogue you can tell all of them without any problem.

   But how about B, D and F? Do these have the same function as A, C and E? -- no for example if  you say I would accept your offer that means in real time you haven't accepted the offer, but if you were given the chance, you would accept.
   (Is A the same as B?   / Is C the same as D?   / Is E the same as F?)


   I think B, D and F just help say in a roundabout way. --- Rather than a roundabout way, I see them as a supposition of an unreal situation.        

This is my try. Smile [:)]    


 

  
Top 50 Contributor
Joined on Sat, Mar 10 2007
Turkey
Senior Member (2,579)
Moderator
I am a netizen!
CalifJim  #373889  Sat, 02 Jun 07 07:50 AM
If you say that you accept an offer, you have actually accepted it.
If you say that you would accept an offer, you have not actually accepted it.  You are claiming that certain conditions apply to the possibility of your accepting that offer (whether or not you make these conditions explicit).

Virtually all pairs of statements with and without would show the same difference.  In some cases the difference is more striking than in others.

CJ

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member (17,794)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL General English Grammar Questions
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions & Terms of Service