Would vs would have for the past
Hello!

I want to say that I didn't go somewhere because I didn't have a car. What should I say?

A: I didn't go there because it would have been hard without a car.
B: I didn't go there because it would be hard without a car.

Thanks.

Question

Would vs would have for the past
Hello!

I want to say that I didn't go somewhere because I didn't have a car. What should I say?

A: I didn't go there because it would have been hard without a car.
B: I didn't go there because it would be hard without a car.

Thanks.

Answer

It sounds best to use "would have been," because you're talking about why you didn't do something in the past.

In the present, it's probably still hard to go there without a car, but since you're not trying to go there now, the fact that it's hard now is irrelevant.  The relevant time is in the past.  "It would have been hard" explains your past action.  If you say "it would be hard," it sounds like you're talking about a possible future action.

Answer

Would + infinitive is hypothetical present.
Would + perfect infinitive is hypothetical past.
It would be hard = currently it's also hard.
It would have been hard = only then, in the past.

Answer

A. Would’ve is past present tense