SC-I predicted that X will/would happen?

[arun8421]

I predicted that X will/would happen?Which one is correct will/would ?

[retrojet777]

predicted -> past tense
would -> past tense

will -> future tense

[RonPurewal]

if X is still a future event at the time when you are talking, then you use "will".
if X is in the past (i.e., X happened already, or it didn't happen and the window of opportunity has now passed), then you use "would". (the basic idea here is that "would" is the past tense of "will".)

e.g.
last year i predicted that the world will end in the year 2100. (this year has not come yet)

last year i predicted that spain would win this year's world cup. (this year's world cup is over)

[Gmat Pro]

Hi Ron,

Can you please clarify on additional use cases of will/would?

X will happen:

Will is used when conditional is in the present(e.g. is/are/am in the preceding 'if' clause), and the action X is in the future.
If I am provided a discount(-->present), I WILL go to the spa(-->future)

X would happen:

Would is used :
1) when the conditional is in the past ( e.g. were/ was/ had in the preceding 'if' clause), and the action X is in the past.
If had been provided a discount(-->past), I WOULD have gone to the spa(-->past)

2) in the case of a subjunctive (a situation that is not necessarily real)
If I were rich(-->subjunctive), I WOULD be happy.

I have 2 questions here:
1. Are these the only forms where will/would are used?
2. For the second case of would, is this form of grammatical construction correct?:
If I were rich, I WOULD HAVE been happy.

Thanks a lot,
Sankeerthana

[Chelsey Cooley]

It's not quite as specific as all that. You can think of it in terms of past and future, but I find it simpler to make a distinction between things that you think will definitely happen ('will'), and things that either might happen, definitely won't happen, or didn't happen ('would').

If you eat the last cookie, I will throttle you. <- I'm making a threat - it'll definitely happen, assuming you ate the cookie.

If you had eaten the last cookie, I would have throttled you. <- Implies that you didn't actually eat it, but I'm talking about what would have happened in the situation where you had eaten it.

If you ate the last cookie, I will throttle you. <- If you ate it in the past, I will definitely throttle you in the future.

It would cost me $5 million to buy a yacht. <- I'm not committing to buying a yacht for sure. I'm just talking about the hypothetical situation.

It will cost me $5 million to buy a yacht. <- I'm going to buy a yacht for sure, and that's how much I'm going to pay.

[Gmat Pro]

Thanks Chelsey, that makes it more clear where each of the words, will and would, should be used.

Regarding question 2, is the insertion of the present perfect 'have been' instead of the present form 'be' after 'would' acceptable? Thanks again.

[tim]

It muddles the meaning to the point that it is extremely unlikely someone would say it that way and mean it.

[JbhB682]

It's not quite as specific as all that. You can think of it in terms of past and future, but I find it simpler to make a distinction between things that you think will definitely happen ('will'), and things that either might happen, definitely won't happen, or didn't happen ('would').

Hi Chelsey / Sage --

Have 2 questions on this guideline above in red

Q1) Does the above guideline only refer to "If X then Y" construction or other sentences as well that don't have the "If X then Y" construction ?

For example :

Source : Manhattan SC guide Page 129 (guide 8)

Right : The scientist believes that the machine will be wonderful
Wrong : The scientist believes that the machine would be wonderful
Right : The scientist believed that the machine would be wonderful
Wrong :The scientist believed that the machine will be wonderful

Per the guideline above in red - how can one be sure whether scientists believed this for sure or not in order to distinguish between "Will" or "Would" ?

(OR)

Does the above guideline not apply to these sentences posted ?

[JbhB682]

It's not quite as specific as all that. You can think of it in terms of past and future, but I find it simpler to make a distinction between things that you think will definitely happen ('will'), and things that either might happen, definitely won't happen, or didn't happen ('would').

Hi Chelsey / Sage --

Really liked this distinction above by Chelsey but I have a followup in this "If X then Y" construction

How do one know if something is certain or not certain ?

Manhattan Sourced Example : If Sophie HAS EATEN pizza, she [will or would ?] become ill

I thought this was a case in which, Sophie DID NOT EAT the pizza yet or as a test taker, you are not sure if Sophie has or has not eaten the pizza just yet ..hence i thought "Would" is appropriate based on the guideline in red above

But per the Manhattan Guide, "Will" is better suited for this sentence

Correct : If Sophie HAS EATEN pizza, she WILL become ill

This sentence is discussed on Manhattan SC guide 8, Chapter 12, Page 199 --- under the Title number 3

Based on the guideline in red -- "Would" is preferable is it not ?

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

This case seems to sit happily with Chelsey's distinction. It's a prediction about the future, and the writer seems pretty certain about it, so 'will' is appropriate.

[JbhB682]

This case seems to sit happily with Chelsey's distinction. It's a prediction about the future, and the writer seems pretty certain about it, so 'will' is appropriate.

Hi Sage --

Two follow ups

1) Per your statement in blue,

If i understand Chelsey's distinction accurately - the prediction about the future is NOT the sure shot litmus test to determine between will or would works here or am i reading it incorrectly ?

Correct : If Sophie HAS EATEN pizza, she WILL become ill

If anything, this seems like something in the past ....

2)

Per the red, could you elaborate --- how can you be sure that the writer seems pretty certain about it ?

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

What I wrote in another reply to you about conditional sentences may be relevant here: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/forums/if-current-trends-continue-by-the-year-2010-carbon-emission-t1901-45.html

1)

the prediction about the future is NOT the sure shot litmus test to determine between will or would works here

I'm not sure I understand what you mean here, but it seems that the statement 'she will become ill' is a prediction.

Correct : If Sophie HAS EATEN pizza, she WILL become ill
If anything, this seems like something in the past
This is an example of a slight exception to the three typical models I outlined. Presumably we're talking about a situation in which Sophie might have eaten pizza recently, and the action takes place in the time after her possible pizza-eating, but before her predicted illness. If we wanted to say something about a past situation that didn't actually happen, then we'd use: "if Sophie had eaten pizza, she would have become ill". Or, if the situation actually happened then: "Sophie ate pizza, and became ill as a result".

2)

Per the red, could you elaborate --- how can you be sure that the writer seems pretty certain about it ?

I wasn't so clear here. The point is not about the certainty, but about the type of statement. If we make a prediction, then we generally use 'will'. A prediction is something you think, with some degree of confidence, is going to happen in the future. We don't generally use 'would' for predictions - we use 'would' for imaginary situations.

[JbhB682]

2)

Per the red, could you elaborate --- how can you be sure that the writer seems pretty certain about it ?

I wasn't so clear here. The point is not about the certainty, but about the type of statement. If we make a prediction, then we generally use 'will'. A prediction is something you think, with some degree of confidence, is going to happen in the future. We don't generally use 'would' for predictions - we use 'would' for imaginary situations.

Hi Sage -- I tried applying this to a sentence :

Source : made up

If I get a chance to act in movies, I (will or would) act in action movies only ..

Which is preferred in your opinion ?

a) On one hand, this is an imaginary situation (I am not an actor) showcasing the usage of "Would"

on the other hand

b) This is a prediction I am making with some confidence if I get an opportunity to act, showcasing the need for "will"

Being a native speaker -- I will go with the latter but it seems like both rules apply to this sentence

Why is one preferred over the other ?

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

Check out the models that I wrote in this thread: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/foru ... 01-45.html

If I get a chance to act in movies, I (will or would) act in action movies only ..
Which is preferred in your opinion ?

Definitely, 'will' is preferred here. The phrase 'if I get' suggests that it's a real possibility for the future. If you wanted to show something more speculative, then start the sentence with 'if I got'. We have only two options here:

If I get a chance to act, I will act in action movies. possible future event
If I got a chance to act, I would act in action movies. imaginary scenario

Although there are some other kinds of if... sentences, I'm pretty sure GMAT will catch you out if you don't follow these two basic models.