"he would have fallen" vs "he may have fallen"

Question

"he would have fallen" vs "he may have fallen"

Both phrases are correct, but they convey different meanings. 'He may have fallen' suggests a possibility that he fell, while 'He would have fallen' implies a hypothetical situation where he would have fallen if certain conditions were met.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

This phrase is used to talk about a hypothetical situation in the past where he would have fallen if certain conditions had been met. It implies a condition that was not fulfilled.

Examples:

He would have fallen if he hadn't grabbed the railing.
If he had not been wearing a helmet, he would have fallen and hurt himself.

Alternatives:

He could have fallen
He might have fallen under different circumstances

This phrase is used to express a possibility that he fell in the past. It implies uncertainty about whether he actually fell or not.

Examples:

He may have fallen while climbing the mountain.
I think he may have fallen on the slippery floor.

Alternatives:

He might have fallen
It's possible that he fell

Answer 1

he would have fallen

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a hypothetical situation where he would have fallen under certain conditions.

Answer 2

he may have fallen

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a possibility that he fell.

"he would have fallen" vs "he may have fallen"

he would have fallen

he may have fallen

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