I’d like to ask about the usage of “would” in a sentence in the following passage:
A number of NGO interviewees noted that they had participated in different state committees, but could not explain how and why they were chosen to serve on these committees. The absence of clear selection procedures undermines the principles of democratic decision-making and indicates an unfair attitude of the government to NGOs since one would expect that NGOs would be selected for these committees by open competition.
Can “will” be used after NGOs, i.e. “one would expect that NGOs will be selected”?
And is it correct to say “… since one will expect that NGOs will be selected…”?
And does “would” in “since one would expect” expresses possibility, i.e. one probably will expect?
To me the word ‘would’ suggests the sort of conditional found in “type 2” IF sentences. It refers to something that is or appears to be counter-factual:
“… one would expect that NGOs would be selected for these committees by open competition (but apparently we can’t and they aren’t).”
“… one would (otherwise) expect that NGOs would (otherwise) be selected for these committees by open competition.”
No, I wouldn’t. If you did, then the sentence would suggest that ‘will be selected’ refers only to the future. As the sentence currently stands, the reference to time is quite general (past, present, future).
I wouldn’t. (See above)
It expresses the expected result of a particular condition being met. In this case, I might express the condition as being “If things were different/normal”.
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