Good evening everyone,
Apparently, IF + WOULD is also used in British English. I've just come
across the following sentence in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (Book 6
Chapter 5: The Steward and the King). Here, one of the characters (Faramir)
is talking to another one (Eowyn, the lady he's in love with) : "And here
you will find me, walking and waiting, and also looking east. It would ease
my care, if you would speak to me, or walk at whiles with me."
Obviously here WOULD is both volitional and hypothetical, the proposition
meaning "if you ever agreed to speak with me". I don't know if IF + WOULD
can be accepted in formal academic writing, but Tolkien put it in the mouth
of one of his heroes, a prince-like character. I hope this example can help
you in your research, Parveen.
Cécile Yousfi, Docteur en Linguistique Anglaise
Paris IV-Sorbonne
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