"if he would not have been" vs "if he had not been rich"

Question

"if he would not have been" vs "if he had not been rich"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'If he would not have been' is used to express a hypothetical situation in the past, while 'if he had not been rich' is used to talk about a specific past event or condition. They are not directly comparable as they serve different purposes.

Last Updated: March 17, 2024

This phrase is used to talk about a situation that did not happen in the past but was a possibility. It is often used in conditional sentences to express unreal or hypothetical scenarios.

Examples:

If he would not have been so careless, he wouldn't have lost his job.
If she would not have been late, she could have caught the train.
If they would not have been so noisy, we could have concentrated on our work.
If I would not have been sick, I would have attended the meeting.
If you would not have been so stubborn, we could have reached a compromise.

This phrase is used to talk about a specific past event or condition that did not happen. It is often used in conditional sentences to express regret or to speculate about a different outcome in the past.

Examples:

If he had not been rich, he would have never been able to afford that house.
If she had not been rich, she would have pursued a different career.
If they had not been rich, they would have lived a simpler life.
If I had not been rich, I would have worked harder for my success.
If you had not been rich, you would have understood the value of hard work.

Answer 1

if he would not have been

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express a hypothetical situation in the past.

Answer 2

if he had not been rich

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to a specific past event or condition.

"if he would not have been" vs "if he had not been rich"

if he would not have been

if he had not been rich

Related Comparisons