Understanding the Differences Between 'Would Have Been' and 'Was'
In English grammar, the choice between using 'would have been' and 'was' can significantly impact the clarity and meaning of a sentence. Both are commonly used in passive voice, but 'had been' and 'will have been' are different tenses, each with a specific usage and meaning.Past Perfect Tense: 'Had Been'
The phrase 'had been' is used in the past perfect tense, indicating that an action was completed before another action in the past. This tense is often used to describe a sequence of completed actions in the past.Usage Example:
For instance, ‘he had been eating his dinner for 30 minutes’ implies that he was in the process of eating dinner, and this action had already started before another past event occurred. On the other hand, ‘he will have been eating his dinner for 30 minutes’ suggests that this action will be completed before a future point in time.Participation of 'To Be'
It is crucial to note that 'would have been' includes part of the verb 'to be'. Hence, we see sentences like 'would have jumped', 'would have read', and 'would have been'. These phrases are part of conditional sentences, often used to express a possibility conditioned upon the fulfillment of a certain condition or event.Meaning of 'Was'
The verb 'was' is generally used to describe a fact or a situation that was true in the past. It does not imply any hypothetical or conditional scenario. When you say, 'she was an aviator', you are asserting a definite fact that she flew planes at some point in the past.Comparative Usage Example:
In contrast, 'she would have been an aviator' suggests a hypothetical scenario where she potentially could have been an aviator under different circumstances. This phrase indicates a possibility rather than a verified fact. It often involves a clause that explains why the action did not take place.Sentence Examples
- Would have been: She would have been an aviator but her family relocating to another city prevented her from pursuing it. - Was: The sentence 'that was my high school' asserts that it was my high school, a factual statement about a past event. - Would have been: The sentence 'that would have been my high school but my family relocated when my parents decided to move across town' introduces a hypothetical situation, indicating what could have happened if different circumstances were in place.Opposite Usage: 'Would Have Been' vs 'Was'
These terms can be seen as opposites, each representing a different aspect of past action.'Would have been' often denotes a hypothetical possibility that remains unfulfilled, while 'was' presents a verified past occurrence. For example:
- 'It would have been fatal had the little boy run across the lorry.' This phrase depicts a hypothetical scenario where a fatal accident could have occurred if the boy had run across the lorry, but the boy did not, and therefore, the accident did not happen. - 'The little boy ran across the lorry and was fatally run over.' Here, the sentence confirms that a fatal accident did happen, which is a direct and verified statement of the past event.