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Question

I would say it's five miles away.I would direct you to go to dentist.I know these sentences involve if clause and the if clause could be anything, right?

GPY · Accepted Answer

anonymousI would say it's five miles away.

This sentence need not involve any implied "if" clause. "I would say (that) ..." is a way of expressing an opinion in a less direct and decisive manner compared to the plain statement (i.e. in this case compared to saying "It's five miles away").

An implied "if" is possible in certain contexts, e.g.:

— What would you say if I asked you how far away it is?
— I would say it's five miles away.

anonymousI would direct you to go to a/the dentist.

This appears to imply an "if". E.g.:

— What would you advise if I told you I had toothache?
— I would direct you to go to a/the dentist.

In both sentences, where an "if" is implied, the nature of the condition can only be known from the context.

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