What part of speech is “would-have”
Verb
Definition:
'would have' is a modal verb phrase used to describe an action that was possible or likely in the past but did not happen. It's often used to express regret, missed opportunities, or hypothetical situations in the past.
Rules:
used expressing a past event that did not occur; indicating regret or a missed opportunity; forming the past conditional tense. It is often followed by a past participle.
Examples:
I would have gone to the party if I hadn't been sick.
She would have been a great leader, but she declined the position.
They would have won the match if they had practiced more.
Tips:
a common mistake is confusing 'would have' with 'would of,' which is grammatically incorrect. Always use 'would have.' 'Would've' is a contraction of 'would have' and can be used in informal writing or speech. When expressing a hypothetical situation in the past, it's common to use 'would have' in combination with 'if' clauses using the past perfect tense (e.g., 'If I had known, I would have come earlier.').