[Grammar] we have our ongoing work which would be an essay

[Vik-Nik-Sor]

You use then at the beginning of a sentence or after `and' or `but' to introduce a comment or an extra piece of information to what you have already said.
We have to do quite a bit of reading, and then we have our ongoing work which would be an essay...
(Collins Cobuild)

I'm not sure what meaning the 'would' has here. The verbs "to have" are in the present tense, so, why is 'would' used?
Thank you.

 

[Gillnetter]

You use then at the beginning of a sentence or after `and' or `but' to introduce a comment or an extra piece of information to what you have already said.
We have to do quite a bit of reading, and then we have our ongoing work which would be an essay...
(Collins Cobuild)

I'm not sure what meaning the 'would' has here. The verbs "to have" are in the present tense, so, why is 'would' used?
Thank you.

How many alternatives can you think of?

 

[Vik-Nik-Sor]

How many alternatives can you think of?

... which is (usually) an essay...

 

[Gillnetter]

... which is (usually) an essay...

This form "...which would be..." is sometimes called a future conditional. It is about what you think will happen in the future. It is not the same as past or present conditionals because you are not sure of the future. "If I could pilot an airplane I would fly to the big game which would be fun".

 

[MikeNewYork]

This form "...which would be..." is sometimes called a future conditional. It is about what you think will happen in the future. It is not the same as past or present conditionals because you are not sure of the future. "If I could pilot an airplane I would fly to the big game which would be fun".

Hmmm. It does not look like a conditional to me.

 

[Vik-Nik-Sor]

"If I could pilot an airplane I would fly to the big game which would be fun".

But it sounds just like unreal present conditional... I would fly (...) which would be fun, doesn't it?...

1). I'm not sure whether "have to do quite a bit of reading" and "have our ongoing work" are habitual actions or they're talking about one particular case.
2). Is the point that the speaker is not sure whether it is an essay? Maybe is it something else? if it were "will" instead, would the meaning of the sentence be the same except that there would be more certainty?

 

[Gillnetter]

Hmmm. It does not look like a conditional to me.

I does to me -Which one?

 

[MikeNewYork]

I does to me -Which one?

I was referring to "which would be an essay".

 

[MikeNewYork]

But it sounds just like unreal present conditional... I would fly (...) which would be fun, doesn't it?...

1). I'm not sure whether "have to do quite a bit of reading" and "have our ongoing work" are habitual actions or they're talking about one particular case.
2). Is the point that the speaker is not sure whether it is an essay? Maybe is it something else? if it were "will" instead, would the meaning of the sentence be the same except that there would be more certainty?

"Would" has other uses besides its function in conditionals. If there has always been an essay required after readings, "would" could indicate past action or prediction/expectation.

 

[5jj]

We have to do quite a bit of reading, and then we have our ongoing work which would be an essay..

That sounds unnatural to me. I cannot see any reason to use 'would/ there. I'd expect to see 'is' or 'will be'.