would have caught

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have caught" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express a hypothetical situation in the past, indicating that if certain conditions had been met, an action would have occurred. Example: "If I had been there on time, I would have caught the bus."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General Conversation

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"My husband would have caught me".

The New York Times

I bet that would have caught on".

The Guardian - Books

A Pap smear would have caught their cancers far sooner.

The New Yorker

Gronkowski would have caught it, but he's exhausted.

The New York Times

"He would have caught us all outside," Ferreira said.

The Washington Post

"Sheffield would have caught that home run?" Lofton said.

The New York Times - Sports

"Inspectors would have caught any illegal feed," he said.

The New York Times

Those probably would have caught F. H.'s eye.

The New York Times

"But I think quality control would have caught it.

The New York Times

The smallest deviation would have caught his eye, and there wasn't one.

The New Yorker

Mr Grieve believes that using modern investigative techniques the police would have caught the killer today.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, ensure the context clearly establishes the hypothetical scenario. Avoid ambiguity by explicitly stating the condition that would have led to the action.

Common error

Avoid using "would have caught" when referring to a definite past action. Instead, use the simple past tense: "The police caught the suspect" (not "would have caught").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have caught" functions as a conditional perfect construction. It expresses a hypothetical past action or event that was dependent on a specific condition being met, highlighting a missed opportunity or altered outcome. As Ludwig AI suggests, it's grammatically sound for expressing such scenarios.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Sports

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would have caught" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to express hypothetical past events contingent on specific conditions. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It appears across diverse contexts, including News & Media and sports. When writing, use this phrase to talk about something that might have occurred. Be careful to avoid using it when describing a definite event in the past and ensure that the hypothetical scenario is clearly stated.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have intercepted

Similar to "could have intercepted" but with a stronger sense of certainty if conditions had been different.

could have intercepted

Focuses on preventing something from reaching its destination, emphasizing intervention.

might have apprehended

Suggests a possibility of catching someone, often in a legal or security context.

should have seized

Implies a missed opportunity to take hold of something, often with a sense of regret.

could have seized

Highlights the potential to take control or possession of something.

could have blocked

Emphasizes preventing movement or progress, similar to intercepting but not necessarily catching.

could have snagged

Suggests a more casual or lucky catch, often in sports or informal situations.

might have nabbed

Informal way of saying "caught," often used when referring to catching a criminal or something illicit.

might have seized upon

Suggests taking advantage of an opportunity that presented itself.

might have detected

Focuses on noticing or discovering something that might have been missed.

FAQs

How can I use "would have caught" in a sentence?

Use "would have caught" to describe a past hypothetical situation, indicating what would have happened if something else had occurred. For example, "If I had left earlier, I "would have caught" the train".

What are some alternatives to "would have caught"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "could have intercepted", "might have apprehended", or "should have seized".

Is it correct to say "would of caught" instead of "would have caught"?

No, "would of caught" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""would have caught"", which uses the auxiliary verb "have".

What's the difference between "would have caught" and "could have caught"?

"Would have caught" indicates a certain outcome in a hypothetical situation, while "could have caught" suggests a possibility but not a certainty. For instance, "I would have caught the ball if I hadn't tripped" versus "I could have caught the ball, but it was a difficult play".