would have forgotten

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have forgotten" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express something that would have happened in the past, but did not because of a particular action or circumstance. For example: "I would have forgotten my keys at home if my friend hadn't reminded me."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

It is unlikely to be something I would have forgotten".

Independent

I immediately thought, you know what, we probably would have forgotten about the Rapture.

The New York Times - Books

She would have forgotten it, if it weren't so much the nature of the man.

The New Yorker

If he had been convicted, they would have forgotten about him in 20 minutes".

The New York Times

Just as well: I would have forgotten to take the nozzle off and suffocated myself.

The New York Times

He readily remembers dates, names and details that most people would have forgotten long ago.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

In no time I'd be entering their joyless company and would've forgotten about myself here on the highway, peering out in near despair because of the fate of an insignificant little dog.

The New Yorker

A quarter century had passed since I touched a steering wheel, but I didn't think that I would've forgotten how to drive.

Huffington Post

or "Where's the bathroom?" so that you could stall a little time in hopes that when you return they would've forgotten what they asked you.

WikiHow

"I was really worried that he'd have forgotten me.

The Guardian

He'd have forgotten them by now, if only he'd stayed in the game.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would have forgotten" to describe hypothetical past scenarios where forgetting was a likely outcome. For instance: 'If I hadn't set an alarm, I "would have forgotten" about the meeting.'

Common error

Avoid using "would have forgotten" when a simple past tense like 'forgot' is more appropriate. 'I "would have forgotten"' is conditional; 'I forgot' is a statement of fact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have forgotten" is a verb phrase that functions to express a hypothetical or conditional action in the past. Ludwig AI shows its use in contexts where something was likely to be forgotten had circumstances been different.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Science

13%

Encyclopedias

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "would have forgotten" is a grammatically sound construction used to describe a hypothetical past scenario where someone was likely to forget something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's commonly found in various contexts, especially in news and media. While alternatives like "might have overlooked" exist, "would have forgotten" directly conveys a sense of potential memory lapse. When writing, be mindful to use it in conditional contexts rather than as a simple past tense replacement. Be careful with the usage of "would of forgotten", since this is incorrect.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might have overlooked

Implies a slight possibility of neglecting something, rather than a complete memory failure.

could have neglected

Suggests a stronger sense of negligence or disregard leading to forgetting.

perhaps not remembered

Directly states the lack of recall, without implying a prior state of knowing.

may have slipped my mind

Indicates that something was unintentionally forgotten.

might have slipped my memory

A variation of the previous phrase, emphasizing the memory aspect.

conceivably disregarded

This suggests something was regarded as insignificant and then forgotten.

potentially ignored

Similar to 'disregarded', this implies a deliberate overlooking that led to forgetting.

I might not recall

A more direct expression of the inability to remember something.

I may have dismissed

Suggests the information was considered unimportant and then forgotten.

it might escape my memory

Expresses the potential for something to be forgotten in the future.

FAQs

How is "would have forgotten" used in a sentence?

The phrase "would have forgotten" is used to express a hypothetical situation in the past. For example, "I "would have forgotten" my keys if you hadn't reminded me."

What's a good alternative to "would have forgotten"?

Alternatives include "might have overlooked", "could have neglected", or "may have slipped my mind", depending on the context.

What is the difference between "would have forgotten" and "forgot"?

"Would have forgotten" expresses a hypothetical past action that didn't occur, while "forgot" simply states that something was not remembered. For instance, "I "would have forgotten" my wallet, but I didn't" versus "I forgot my wallet."

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

No, "would of forgotten" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "would have forgotten", using "have" as the auxiliary verb.