Example of would

by **lionKing1976** Sun Sep 28, 2008 5:06 am

I am trying to understand the meaning between the following sentences..

Popular child psychologists have advocated that parents discipline male children as they would daughters.

Popular child psychologists have advocated that parents discipline male children as they discipline daughters.

by **esledge** Sat Nov 01, 2008 4:56 pm

The bossy main verb "have advocated" must be followed by a noun phrase beginning with "that." Within the "that" phrase, we need a subject ("parents") and a command subjunctive ("discipline"--the infinitive "to discipline" minus the "to").

Both of your sentences have the required elements:
Popular child psychologists have advocated that parents discipline male children as they would (discipline) daughters.
Popular child psychologists have advocated that parents discipline male children as they discipline daughters.

Thus, I think "would" introduces a meaning difference rather than a grammar issue. "Would" is hypothetical: sentence #1 would be better addressed to parents of sons but no daughters, sentence #2 could be addressed to parents who have both sons and daughters.