would have worked

USAGE SUMMARY

'would have worked' is a correct and usable expression in written English.
You can use it in the past conditional tense to indicate that something could have happened in the past but did not. For example: "If I had put more effort into studying, my exam results would have worked out better."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Quotation marks would have worked.

The New York Times

"I would have worked cheap," he said.

The New York Times

And it would have worked remarkably well.

The New York Times

It would have worked so well.

The New York Times

Here, that would have worked nicely.

The New York Times

(Nothing else would have worked better).

The New York Times

" 'Excuse me' would have worked.

The New York Times - Sports

That would have worked better".

The New York Times

"I doubt it would have worked.

The Guardian

Almost any other starch would have worked.

The New York Times

And it would have worked," she said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would have worked" to express a hypothetical past scenario where a specific action or method could have been successful if conditions were different.

Common error

Avoid using "would have worked" when describing present or future scenarios. This phrase specifically refers to hypothetical situations in the past. For present or future possibilities, use "would work" or "could work" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have worked" functions as a conditional perfect construction, indicating a hypothetical outcome in the past. According to Ludwig AI, it is considered grammatically correct. It describes a situation that did not happen, but could have under different circumstances.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

96%

Science

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would have worked" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that serves to express hypothetical past outcomes. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and the many examples show its versatile usage across various contexts. It's commonly found in News & Media, but also appears in scientific and business contexts. When using this phrase, ensure it refers to a past hypothetical situation. Consider alternatives like ""would have been effective"" or ""could have succeeded"" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have been effective

Replaces "worked" with "been effective", emphasizing the success of an action.

would have been successful

Substitutes "worked" with "been successful", highlighting a positive result.

would have been feasible

Replaces "worked" with "been feasible", focusing on the possibility of achieving something.

could have succeeded

Uses "could" instead of "would", expressing a potential successful outcome.

might have been useful

Replaces "worked" with "been useful" and "would" with "might", softening the assertion.

could have been implemented

Replaces "worked" with "been implemented", shifting the focus to the action taken.

could have yielded results

Replaces "worked" with "yielded results", concentrating on the outcomes.

would have been the solution

Highlights the phrase as a fix, solution or an answer to a problem.

would have achieved the goal

Focuses on accomplishing an objective, where the initial goal may have not been achieved.

had the potential to succeed

This phrase highlights potential without confirmation that things could have worked out.

FAQs

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

Use "would have worked" to describe a past hypothetical scenario where something could have been successful. For example, "If we had invested in that company, it "would have worked" out well".

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

Alternatives include "would have been effective", "could have succeeded", or "might have been useful", depending on the specific context and desired nuance.

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

No, "would of worked" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "would have worked". "Would've" is a contraction of "would have", but "would of" is never correct.

What is the difference between "would have worked" and "could have worked"?

"Would have worked" suggests a higher degree of certainty or expectation of success, while "could have worked" implies a possibility, but with less certainty. The choice depends on the speaker's assessment of the likelihood of success in the hypothetical scenario.