would have reported

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have reported" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express a hypothetical situation in the past, often indicating what someone might have done under different circumstances. Example: "If I had known about the issue earlier, I would have reported it to management."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Any reporter worth his or her salt would have reported exactly as Hastings and I did.

Huffington Post

Mr. Haslingden would have reported to Mr. Rice.

The New York Times

And if I did, I would have reported them.

The New Yorker

JP Morgan's investment banking division would have reported a loss without a $1.9bn accounting adjustment.

The Guardian - Business

Without that extra money the wholesale operation would have reported flat earnings, said the company.

The Guardian - Business

Without that, EMC would have reported net income of $53 million, or 2 cents a share.

The New York Times

"We doubt that any other company would have reported at all.

The New York Times

Berezovsky said Litvinenko would have reported back to "MI5 and MI6".

The Guardian

Well had no drugs been supplied then we would have reported that and end of matter.

The Guardian

Evidently, if we had found any "smoking gun," we would have reported it to the Council.

The New York Times

TRUMP: And if the news would have reported these four people -- I couldn't believe it.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would have reported" to express a hypothetical action that should have or could have occurred in the past, often highlighting missed opportunities or unfulfilled obligations.

Common error

Avoid using "would of reported" instead of "would have reported". The former is a common mistake arising from the similar pronunciation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have reported" functions as a conditional perfect construction. It expresses a hypothetical action in the past that did not occur. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is used to describe situations where something could or should have been communicated or documented. The examples from Ludwig illustrate its use in various contexts, from financial reporting to incident reporting.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would have reported" is a versatile phrase used to express hypothetical past actions, frequently appearing in news, business, and scientific contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and provides numerous examples demonstrating its use. The phrase functions as a conditional perfect construction, often implying regret or speculation about past events. While generally neutral in register, it’s crucial to avoid the common error of substituting "of" for "have". Alternatives such as "should have declared" or "could have notified" can add nuance, but the core meaning remains consistent: a missed opportunity to communicate or document something in the past.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have informed

Focuses on the act of conveying information.

should have declared

Emphasizes a moral or obligatory aspect to the action of reporting.

would have alerted

Focuses on warning or drawing attention to something.

could have notified

Indicates a possibility or option to inform someone.

should have communicated

Highlights the need for effective exchange of information.

might have disclosed

Suggests a lower probability or uncertainty about the reporting.

should have announced

Highlights a public declaration or proclamation.

could have revealed

Emphasizes the unveiling of previously unknown information.

might have advised

Implies offering guidance or recommendations.

could have registered

Indicates a formal recording or entry of information.

FAQs

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

Use "would have reported" to describe a past action that was possible or expected but did not happen. For example, "If I had known about the issue, I "would have reported" it immediately."

What are some alternatives to saying "would have reported"?

Depending on the context, consider using alternatives such as "should have declared", "could have notified", or "might have disclosed" to convey a similar meaning while varying your vocabulary.

Which is correct: "would have reported" or "would of reported"?

"Would have reported" is the grammatically correct form. "Would of reported" is a common error arising from mishearing or misinterpreting the contraction "would've".

What’s the difference between "would have reported" and "should have reported"?

"Would have reported" indicates a hypothetical action that could have occurred, while "should have reported" implies a moral or obligatory aspect to the action, suggesting it was the right thing to do but was not done.