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9.4 present simple versus would 1. When you report a hypothesis, i.e. how you (or another author)
imagine something might be, use the
present simple not
would. Words and phrases such as
assume, assumption, hypothesize, hypothesis, suggest, argue, and
according to indicate to the reader that what you are saying is only a tentative proposal and not necessarily a fact.
2. The most common use of
would is in areal conditional phrase (
9.2
), where there is
if (or when
if is at least implicit.
PRESENT WOULD 1,2 Aardvarks hypothesis suggests that the onset of the disease
is associated with a sudden increase in blood pressure.
Batteaux suggests that the onset of the disease
would only be associated with a sudden
increase in blood pressure if the patient
were over the age of 50, whereas Aardvark had only hypothesized such an event for younger patients.
1,2 According to these authors, mating early in the morning
is quite
advantageous for small insects, as cool temperatures and a high relative humidity
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