Longman dictionary says that I can use both "I would think" and "I would have thought" to state my opinion
Can I use one of these terms to express my opinion in the present and in the future?
1.
I ask my brother:
Me: I think/ I would think/ I would have thought that the capital of the US is New York.
My brother: Yes, you are correct.
I think that in this context, I only can use these 3 phrases I think/ I would think/ I would have thought :
- I think - > a direct way to express opinion.
- I would think -> a more direct way to express opinion so that sound polite.
- I would have thought -> the most direct way to express opinion so that sound polite the most.
2.
There is a woman on the street, I look at her, and say to my friend:
Me: I think/ I would think/ I would have thought she is about 40 years old.
My friend: I also think so.
Can I use one of there terms in this context with the same explanation as in example 1 above?
3.
I want to express my opinion about the number of guests for the meeting next week:
Me:I think/ I would think/ I would have thought we should invite around 50 people.
My friend: I also think so.
I can only tell you how Americans use those expressions.
We use "I think" most of the time, "I would think" sometimes (if we're less sure of what we think), and "I would have thought" only when we are wrong about something in the past. The last one is always followed by a clause in a past tense, just as I thought is.
LE HANH 2383Me: I think/ I would think/ I would have thought that the capital of the US is New York. My brother: Yes, you are correct.
— I think the capital of the U.S. is New York.
— No. It's Washington, D.C.
— Really? I thought it was New York.
OR (with would)
— I would think the capital of the U.S. is New York.
— No. It's Washington, D.C.
— Really? I would have thought it was New York.
LE HANH 2383I think/ I would think/ I would have thought she is about 40 years old.
The same patterns as shown above are available, starting with I think she is about 40 years old.
LE HANH 2383I think/ I would think/ I would have thought we should invite around 50 people.
We are not likely to use would and then should in this way. In my opinion, only I think works here. The others are unnatural, so I would think and I would have thought are not available.
— I think we should invite 50 people.
— I think so, too.
LE HANH 2383I also think so.
Not wrong, but not idiomatic (not natural). Say I think so, too.
CJ
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Comments
Thank you so much CJ,
My friend tell me that, I can use either of these terms to express the opinion on the fact in the present. It seems fine to put these terms at the end of the sentence:
Looking at a woman, I say with my friend:
A: She is about 40 years old, I think so/I would think so/I would have thought so.
I even can use "I would have thought so" when I now give my opinion which I just had now on the present fact. That is the reason cause my confusion. The opinion occurs right in the present when I see the woman
My friend tells me or My friend told me.
I have to repeat. You don't always have a firm grasp of the fundamentals, so I don't know how you expect to understand all these advanced topics you ask about! You may have a lot of book knowledge about these things, but will you remember them when you're in the middle of a conversation with a native speaker? Or are you only learning English for the purposes of reading? In that case, it may not matter if you can't remember it all. You can always look it up in your notes.
Maybe your friend is more familiar with British English. Those things may be true for British English.
CJ
I know this
Do you think that the speaker is still sure about what they say but they want to sound indirect and polite when giving the opinion
-> Sounds direct, I actually have that thought in my head right now.
-> Sounds indirect, I do not actually have the thought in my head now. The speaker is sure but just wants to give their opinion politely. Right?
"would" here is like a result of a hypothesis like this:
" If I was allowed to state my opinion, I would think that the capital of the US is Washington, D.C.
"I would have thought so" is wrong in the US. Right?
Yes. It sounds very weird. I don't believe I've ever heard anything like it before, not even on any British TV programs I've heard here in the U.S.
CJ
(1) I would think the capital of the U.S. is New York.
(2) The capital of the U.S maybe New York.
(3) In my opinion, it seems that the capital of the U.S. is New York.
- > (2) and (3) have the same meaning as (1). Right?
"Would" in the sentence (1) expresses uncertainty. Right?
Please take a look at another example:
"Would" in B's sentence expresses politeness. Right?
*My conclusion: Sometimes "would" expresses uncertainty, and sometimes "would" expresses politeness. Right?
Right, very similar, but I think alone expresses uncertainty. You don't need would to show the uncertainty. think means don't know for certain.
In would say it sounds like politeness to me, but not really in would think.
CJ
(1) I would think the capital of the U.S. is New York.
B: I would think/ would say that you are wrong
If so, in both examples, “I would think” expresses less certainty than “I think”. Right?