would have remained

USAGE SUMMARY

"would have remained" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It is used to describe a past event or possibility that did not actually happen. Example: If I had not won the lottery, I would have remained in my ordinary job and never experienced the thrill of traveling the world.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He would have remained inside until March.

The Guardian

Hitler would have remained an unsuccessful artist.

The Guardian - Opinion

Richard Nixon would have remained president".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

And FEMA would have remained mired in Bush-era incompetence.

The New York Times

Our legislators would have remained focused on "high-priority issues".

The Guardian

Who would have remained with his original team?

The New York Times - Sports

The passengers would have remained calm anyway, being dummies.

The New York Times

– your glass would have remained miserably untouched throughout the session.

The Guardian - Opinion

Without him, these particular "fugitive pieces" would have remained unread.

The Guardian - Books

Most newcomers to Congress would have remained silent on a delicate matter involving a senior member.

The New York Times

By adding equity to his bid, Exco would have remained a public company.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would have remained" to speculate about a past situation that didn't occur. Ensure your sentence clearly indicates the condition that prevented the situation from happening.

Common error

Avoid mixing tenses when using "would have remained". Ensure the 'if' clause uses the past perfect and the main clause uses the conditional perfect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have remained" functions as a conditional perfect construction, expressing a hypothetical situation or state that would have existed in the past if certain conditions had been met. Ludwig provides numerous examples showing its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

33%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "would have remained" is a versatile conditional construction used to express hypothetical past scenarios. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is grammatically correct and frequently appears across various reliable sources. It serves to speculate about outcomes that didn't occur, typically because a specific condition was not met. When writing, ensure correct tense usage and consider related phrases like "would have stayed" or "would have persisted" to fine-tune your intended meaning. Ludwig's AI analysis of numerous examples confirms its broad applicability and neutral register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have stayed

Highlights the act of remaining in a specific place or condition, often implying a lack of movement or change.

would have persisted

Focuses on the continuation of a state or condition despite potential opposition or change.

would have continued

Emphasizes the uninterrupted progression or duration of an action or state.

would have sustained

Indicates the maintenance of something at a certain level or intensity over a period.

would have maintained

Focuses on the active effort to keep something in its current state.

would have existed

Focuses on the continued presence or being of something in a specific state.

would have endured

Implies a prolonged existence, often in the face of hardship or challenges.

would have lasted

Highlights the duration of a condition or state up to a certain point.

would have carried on

Indicates the uninterrupted continuation of an activity or state, often informally.

would have held firm

Implies resistance to change or pressure, maintaining a stable position.

FAQs

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

"Would have remained" is used to describe a hypothetical situation in the past that did not occur because of a specific condition. For example, "If it hadn't rained, the game "would have remained" on schedule."

What are some alternatives to "would have remained"?

Alternatives include phrases like "would have stayed", "would have continued", or "would have persisted", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

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

No, "would of remained" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""would have remained"", where "have" is an auxiliary verb, often contracted to 've in speech.

What's the difference between "would have remained" and "would remain"?

"Would have remained" refers to a hypothetical past situation, while "would remain" refers to a hypothetical present or future situation. For example, "If he hadn't intervened, the problem "would have remained" unresolved" (past), vs. "If nothing changes, the problem "would remain" unresolved" (future).