Eugene Kovko
Would it be/ will it be Would it be/ will it be Only if that task were accomplished would it be possible to cope… Is direct order in this case will be a mistake or they are interchangeable (it would be possible)? What is the main point of this reversed order? Can this be used with different verbs? In which situations it can be useful (for example for stylistic reasons)?
Oct 27, 2018 11:07 AM
Answers · 5
1
I'm sorry that I don't have the technical language to explain this more clearly, but the following are the only two grammatically correct ways to say this phrase: "Only if that task were accomplished would it be possible to cope..." This is the passive voice, stylistically. "It would only be possible to cope if that task were accomplished..." This is the active voice. In the United States, we have been taught over the last several decades that the passive voice should be avoided, but if you look at literature from before 1960 or so, you will see it everywhere, because it was considered the "more formal" way to write.
October 27, 2018
1
It's 2nd conditional, so it must be past indefinite in the conditional part and would + infinitive in the main, "will" is grammatically wrong. The inversions is used for emphasis, for stylistic purpose.
October 27, 2018
1
To me would it be sounds more of a rhetorical question. Will it be sound slike you actually need a response .
October 27, 2018
'is direct order in this case will be correct' - what do you mean?? :) oh, you mean 'the other way around'.. but are you also asking about 'will' and 'would'?
October 27, 2018
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