Difference Between Would Have & Would Have Been

Would have vs Would have been

Would have and Would have been are two different forms of expression in the English language that must be understood accurately. ‘Would have’ often implies possibility, as seen in the sentence “He would have bought it if he had 40 dollars.” The use of ‘would have’ in this sentence suggests that the item could have been purchased if the buyer had 40 dollars.

On the other hand, ‘would have been’ also implies possibility but in a continuous sense, as in the sentence “He would have been rich by now.” The use of ‘would have been’ in this sentence suggests a continuous condition.

Key Takeaways

• The use of ‘would have’ typically indicates likelihood or possibility, while ‘would have been’ suggests continuous possibility.
• Expressions using ‘would have’ are often followed by a clause beginning with ‘if’ or the past perfect verb ‘had’, whereas ‘would have been’ is not as frequently accompanied by such clauses.
• ‘Would have’ is often followed by a verb in the present tense form, such as in the sentence “He would have become rich for sure.”