would be catching

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would be catching" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something is likely to attract attention or interest. Example: "If the advertisement is well-designed, it would be catching to potential customers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General Usage

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

You'd think his energy would be catching, but then it is almost 10pm and it's hardly the youngest crowd.

The Guardian - Music

He had planned to wait awhile before revealing the injury, but Manager Leo Durocher told him that he would be catching right away.

The New York Times - Sports

The first referred to a flight that Carson would be catching that night; the second said that "Carson won't go to NH/SC, but instead will head home to Florida for some R&R.

The New Yorker

"I was really excited about it," said Berge, 49. "It's a great idea, and it seems obvious technology would be catching up to the experience of participating in or watching the race".

The New York Times

He was raised in Walthamstow, used to run round this part of east London, and his father would be catching the 158 bus to the Olympic Park to watch him compete.

The Guardian - Sport

One day, as the child warrior Arya Stark, she would be filming sword fights opposite Sean Bean and Kit Harington; the next, she would be catching the bus to school in Bristol – and everyday teenage life could be just as confrontational.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

We'd be catching cancers earlier than ever before.

The New Yorker

The door to Sister Penny's office was closed: she'd be catching forty winks on her couch.

The Guardian - Books

I thought I'd be catching them left, right and centre but that was the only one.

The Guardian

"If I threw my peanut-butter cookies out the window, they'd be catching them, not ducking".

The New Yorker

If it helped pay the rent, I'd be catching Pokemon among the best of them.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would be catching" to describe hypothetical or conditional situations where something is likely to be received or obtained. For instance, "If the team played better, they "would be catching" more wins."

Common error

Avoid using "would be catching" when a simple future tense ("will catch") is more appropriate. "Would be catching" implies a condition or uncertainty, while "will catch" indicates a more definite future action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would be catching" functions as a modal verb phrase, indicating a conditional or hypothetical action in the future. It suggests a potential outcome that depends on certain circumstances, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Sports

30%

General Usage

20%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "would be catching" functions as a modal verb phrase used to express conditional or hypothetical future actions. As confirmed by Ludwig, its grammatical status is correct, and it finds common usage across various contexts, including news, sports, and general discourse. The expert rating underscores its reliability and practical utility, suggesting that it's a strong choice for expressing contingent future scenarios. While "would be catching" is versatile, writers should be mindful of tense and avoid misuse where a simpler future tense is more appropriate. Remember, "would be catching" implies uncertainty, whereas "will catch" indicates a greater degree of certainty. This nuances will help you to write with precision and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

will be catching

Changes the modal verb to 'will', indicating a higher degree of certainty or a future intention.

would be attracting

Focuses on drawing something in, emphasizing attraction rather than the act of receiving.

would be grabbing

Implies a more immediate or forceful action of taking something.

could be catching

Uses 'could' to indicate potential or conditional possibility.

would be intercepting

Suggests preventing something from reaching its intended destination.

might be catching

Replaces 'would' with 'might', expressing a lower probability or possibility.

may be catching

Indicates a possibility, similar to 'might', but with a slightly different nuance.

is likely to catch

Shifts the structure to express probability in a more direct manner.

should be catching

Suggests an advisability or recommendation for the action.

is expected to catch

Implies an anticipation or expectation of the action occurring.

FAQs

How can I use "would be catching" in a sentence?

You can use "would be catching" to describe hypothetical or conditional situations. For example: "If they invested more in marketing, they "would be catching" more customers."

What is a synonym for "would be catching"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "would be catching" could include "would be attracting", "would be receiving", or "would be obtaining".

What's the difference between "would be catching" and "will be catching"?

"Would be catching" implies a conditional or hypothetical situation, while "will be catching" suggests a future certainty. For example, "If it rains, they "would be catching" a cold" (conditional) versus "They "will be catching" the train at 8 AM" (future certainty).

Is it correct to say "would have been catching" instead of "would be catching"?

The use of "would have been catching" implies a past hypothetical situation that did not occur. "Would be catching" refers to a present or future hypothetical. For example, "If they had practiced, they "would have been catching" more balls" (past) versus "If they practice, they "would be catching" more balls" (present/future).