Using Would instead of Will in Future Perfect

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Sabyakgp

#302003 Fri, 08 Dec 06 10:28 PM

Dear Friends,

I would like to how "Would" can be used in future perfect as a modal verb.

For Example.

Analysts predicts that world population would have risen considerably by 2010. (Prediction can be wrong, so using "Would" instead of "Will" means this sentence is less directive than the below one which is using "Will" )

Analysts confirms that world population will have risen considerably by 2010. (here analysts are confirming the likelihood of world population being increased by 2010).

But both of them are pointing to future. Are these sentences correct ? Can we use "Would" in future perfect in this way to mean something less likely to happen in future.

Or consider this:

Day "begins" at about 09:00 after 4 hours of sleep. So after doing the customary check on emails and stuff like that, I pack up all the rest of the stuff I have (computer being last, obviously) and then leave home.

So on the way to the airport, I finally manage to get Kara's number (to wish her a happy early birthday since I would have left by that time) through Linda -> Connie -> Bonnie. (I guess, speaker was not very sure that he would have left by that time, so he used would have left instead of will have left). Is my understanding correct ?

Another Example:

My company will have allocated 50 shares for me by Jan 2007, but it's of no use for me as i would have left the cmopany by that time. (Here again speaker is not sure whether he/she would be out of the company before Jan 2007, other Will could have been used instead of Would have).

Please let me know whether my understanding is correct ?

Regards

Sabya

Sabyakgp

Joined on Thu, Nov 16 2006

Junior Member (54)

Modal verbs, Modals, Numbers, Regards, Verbs

Marius Hancu

#302006 Fri, 08 Dec 06 10:37 PM

Analysts predict that world population could/may/might rise considerably by 2010.

Analysts predict that world population should rise considerably by 2010.

For should, see 2 here (probability):
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/should?view=uk

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Marius Hancu

#302008 Fri, 08 Dec 06 10:48 PM

My company will have allocated 50 shares for me by Jan 2007, but it won't be of any use for me as I might/could/may leave the company by that time (anyway).

but I think you can also say (more rarely seen today):

My company will have allocated 50 shares for me by Jan 2007, but it won't be of any use for me as I might have left the company by that time (anyway).

Marius Hancu

Sabyakgp

#302009 Fri, 08 Dec 06 10:51 PM

Thanks for your reply. But i think you didn't get my actual question. My question is can we use "Would" is future perfect as it was used in the given sentences.

Sabyakgp

Marius Hancu

#302010 Fri, 08 Dec 06 10:54 PM

I got your question very well, and my answers show that would isn't the best verb for that, IMO. And just have a perfect form for the sake of it isn't justified. It's quite rare in future contexts.

Marius Hancu

Verbs

Marius Hancu

#302015 Fri, 08 Dec 06 11:17 PM

But I think you can use would here (but I don't like the perfect form in this case):

On the way to the airport, I finally manage to get Kara over the cellular, a surprise, since I would normally expect to be in the air by the time she usually is awake and picks up her phone.

Marius Hancu

#302053 Sat, 09 Dec 06 04:06 AM

If introducing some conditions, you may be able to use would have wrt future predictions:

An population estimate of 30 million would have been achieved by the year 2087, had the fertility estimates been lower by 30%.

Marius Hancu

Chad

#302099 Sat, 09 Dec 06 10:18 AM

Sabyakgp wrote:

Dear Friends,

I would like to how "Would" can be used in future perfect as a modal verb.

For Example.

Analysts predicts that world population would have risen considerably by 2010. (Prediction can be wrong, so using "Would" instead of "Will" means this sentence is less directive than the below one which is using "Will" )

Analysts confirms that world population will have risen considerably by 2010. (here analysts are confirming the likelihood of world population being increased by 2010).

But both of them are pointing to future. Are these sentences correct ? Can we use "Would" in future perfect in this way to mean something less likely to happen in future.

Or consider this:

Day "begins" at about 09:00 after 4 hours of sleep. So after doing the customary check on emails and stuff like that, I pack up all the rest of the stuff I have (computer being last, obviously) and then leave home.

So on the way to the airport, I finally manage to get Kara's number (to wish her a happy early birthday since I would have left by that time) through Linda -> Connie -> Bonnie. (I guess, speaker was not very sure that he would have left by that time, so he used would have left instead of will have left). Is my understanding correct ?

Another Example:

My company will have allocated 50 shares for me by Jan 2007, but it's of no use for me as i would have left the cmopany by that time. (Here again speaker is not sure whether he/she would be out of the company before Jan 2007, other Will could have been used instead of Would have).

Please let me know whether my understanding is correct ?

Regards

Sabya

I think "I will have gone" expresses action in the future before another action in the future. this is the past in the future. And "I would have gone" usually use in conditional statement like for example "If I won the lottery I would buy a car" lke we are thinking about a future condition.