Use of "would" in conditionals, especially, in the first (if) part

None of them.

If it rained, we would find another shelter until cops came and chased us out.

The 'would' in the phrase 'we would find another shelter' is not conditional, it is habitual. We can use 'would' to refer to habitual or repeated actions in the past. Every Saturday I would go on a long bike ride. The verb ('go' in this example is the base (infinitive) form. If we also wish to talk about how we continued that action until something happened, we use the simple past - Every Saturday I would go on a long bike ride until I became tired. Often when I was a child I would eat candy until I felt sick.

Thanks Contrex. You mean to say that "would" in "If it would rain" is not correct? And It should be "When it rained" as per your opinion, right? . I mean Even if the speaker is telling about reoccurrence? Speaker meant that whenever it rained i.e.rains on multiple occasions and what if he also meant that police chased them but they would again return and hence police had to.come again and again . So, if police had to come over and over then is the following correct:: "Police would come and chase us out " because poice would come often ? And in the same way, would it be correct to say that "If it would rain" as it rained on multiple occasions?

Or you would be sure that your version , which is, "If it rained, we would find another shelter until cops came and chased us out" is correct even after the reoccurrences?? Thanks.Your help will be highly appreciated

Yes, I do mean to say that. using 'would' in that way is non-standard, conversational, informal US English.

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/34299/if-i-would-go-there-i-would-be-in-trouble-correct


Yes, it should be, and that is not just my 'opinion'.


There you go. Your own words.


Yes. If (whenever, or each time) it rained, we would hide, and the police would chase us out


It is not correct, as I have already explained.


1. I am sure.
2. Even after the recurrences (not 'reoccurences')
3. Only use one question mark.

I cannot imagine an American, even a poorly educated speaker of a regional dialect, would say "If it would rain . . . " as in the example.

EDIT: The formal English would be: "If it were to rain, we would . . . etc." The informal would be: "If it rains, we would . . . etc."

Example three, though, is hilariously inept.

Hi Contrex! Thanks for your help. I am now pretty clear but there is one last thing I would like to confirm though. If I don't want to leave the part where it says that police would come and then after coming police would chase them out. I mean in your suggestion below you have mentioned that 'If it rained, we would hide and then police would chase us out" but I would like to include that "police came" and after that they chased them out. So would it be correct to say that "If it rained, we would find another shelter and then police would come and chase us out" ?

And what if we use "until" instead of "and then" ? Does it change anything? Can it still be said the same way? I.e. "If it rained , we would find another shelter until police would come and chase us out"

I am not a native English speaker and that is why I am trying to clear my doubts as finely as possible. And I really do appreciate your help. Thanks.

Yes.


No. Until police came.

Thanks a lot........you were really helpful! 😊