which would have

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "which would have" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is a subordinate clause that is used to express a hypothetical or unrealized situation. It is often used to talk about something that could have happened in the past, but did not actually happen. Example: If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Which would have killed you".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Which would have been a shame.

The New York Times - Books

Which would have been lost otherwise".

The New Yorker

"Which would have been quite daft.

The Guardian - Sport

Which would have made me feel worse.

The Guardian

Which would have been provided by Mum.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Which would have been cool but also realistic.

University of California, Berkeley

X-rays, which would have revealed any fracture, were negative.

The New York Times

Which would have been great, but for two things.

Independent

That was a violation, which would have added a stroke.

The New York Times - Sports

Which would have been OK if my life hadn't changed.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "which would have" to describe hypothetical past situations and their consequences. Ensure your sentence clearly establishes the unrealized condition that led to the hypothetical outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "which would of" instead of "which would have". The phrase "would of" is a common misspelling and grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "which would have" functions as a relative clause introducing a hypothetical or unrealized condition in the past. It modifies a preceding noun or clause, describing a scenario that didn't actually occur. As Ludwig AI explains, it expresses something that could have happened but didn't.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

32%

Academia

26%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "which would have" is a relative clause used to express a hypothetical situation in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and frequently used. It appears most commonly in News & Media, Science, and Academic contexts. When writing, remember to use "which would have", not "which would of". Alternatives include "that would have" or "it would have", depending on the context and desired emphasis. Its prevalent usage across authoritative sources underscores its importance in conveying unrealized possibilities and outcomes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that would have

Replaces "which" with "that", slightly altering the focus but maintaining the hypothetical condition.

that would've

A contracted form of "that would have", making it more informal.

it would have

Shifts the focus to "it", referring to a specific subject that the "which" clause modifies.

this would have

Emphasizes a specific scenario or situation that "this" refers to.

that outcome would have

Specifies that the hypothetical result relates to a specific outcome.

what would have

Changes the clause to inquire about the potential consequences or possibilities that "what" introduces.

something that would have

Adds a more general referent, implying the clause is about a less defined element.

that action would have

Highlights a hypothetical scenario involving an action.

in that case it would have

Introduces a conditional context explicitly, indicating a hypothetical scenario.

under those circumstances it would have

Similar to the previous, but provides a more formal and explicit setting for the hypothetical.

FAQs

How to use "which would have" in a sentence?

Use "which would have" to describe a hypothetical past scenario. For example: "The earlier train, "which would have" been faster, was cancelled."

What does "which would have" mean?

It indicates a past action or state that did not happen, but could have under different conditions. It presents a hypothetical result.

Is "which would of" correct, or should I always use "which would have"?

"Which would of" is incorrect. The correct form is always ""which would have"", using the auxiliary verb "have".

What are some alternatives to "which would have" in a formal context?

In formal writing, consider alternatives like "that would have" or "had that occurred". These provide a slightly more formal tone while retaining the same meaning.