'will' and 'would'
Level: beginner
We use will:
- to express beliefs about the present or future
- to talk about what people want to do or are willing to do
- to make promises, offers and requests.
would is the past tense form of will. Because it is a past tense, it is used:
- to talk about the past
- to talk about hypotheses (when we imagine something)
- for politeness.
Beliefs
We use will to express beliefs about the present or future:
John will be in his office. (present)
We'll be late. (future)
We will have to take the train. (future)
We use would as the past of will, to describe past beliefs about the future:
I thought we would be late, so we would have to take the train.
Willingness
We use will:
- to talk about what people want to do or are willing to do:
We'll see you tomorrow.
Perhaps Dad will lend me the car.
- to talk about typical behaviour, things that we often do (because we are willing to do them):
We always spend our holidays at our favourite hotel at the seaside. We'll get up early every morning and have a quick breakfast then we'll go across the road to the beach.
We use would as the past tense of will:
- to talk about what people wanted to do or were willing to do in the past:
We had a terrible night. The baby wouldn't go to sleep.
Dad wouldn't lend me the car, so we had to take the train.
- to talk about typical behaviour, things that we often did (because we were willing to do them) in the past:
When they were children they used to spend their holidays at their grandmother's at the seaside. They'd get up early every morning and have a quick breakfast. Then they'd run across the road to the beach.
Promises, offers and requests
We use I will or We will to make promises and offers:
I'll give you a lift home after the party.
We'll come and see you next week.
We use Will you … ? or Would you … ? to make requests:
Will you carry this for me, please?
Would you please be quiet?
- will and would 1
- will and would 2
- will and would 3
Level: intermediate
Hypotheses and conditionals
We use will in conditionals to say what we think will happen in the present or future:
I'll give her a call if I can find her number.
You won't get in unless you have a ticket.
We use would to make hypotheses:
- when we imagine a situation:
It would be very expensive to stay in a hotel.
I would give you a lift, but my wife has the car today.
- in conditionals:
I would give her a call if I could find her number.
If I had the money, I'd buy a new car.
You would lose weight if you took more exercise.
If he got a new job, he would probably make more money.
What if he lost his job? What would happen then?
We also use conditionals to give advice :
Dan will help you if you ask him.
Past tenses are more polite:
Dan would help you if you asked him.
- will and would: hypotheses and conditionals
See also: Verbs in time clauses and conditionals
Level: beginner
Expressions with would
We use:
- would you…, would you mind (not) -ing for requests:
Would you carry this for me, please?
Would you mind carrying this?
Would you mind not telling him until tomorrow?
- would you like ..., would you like to ... for offers and invitations:
Would you like another drink?
Would you like to come round tomorrow?
- I would like …, I'd like … (you)(to) ... to say what we want or what we want to do:
I'd like that one, please.
I'd like to go home now.
- I'd rather… (= I would rather) to say what we prefer:
I'd rather have the new one, not the old one.
I don't want another drink. I'd rather go home.
- I would think, I would imagine, I'd guess to give an opinion when we are not sure or when we want to be polite:
It's very difficult, I would imagine.
I would think that's the right answer.
- Expressions with would 1
- Expressions with would 2
Hello Plokonyo,
Speaker B uses 'would' to express his idea or what he think is the meaning of 'get on the ball'. Speaker B doesn't know what "get on the ball" means. Here, Speaker B wants to be tentative about the meaning of the phrase.
Am I right? Does it make any sense, Plokonyo?
Shetu Yogme
Hello team,
I would be grateful if you could help me with the below.
(1) President Zelensky and President Putin signed an agreement yesterday which will/would result in the release of 10 prisoners of war from each side next week.
(2) President Zelensky and President Putin signed an agreement yesterday which will/would see the release of 10 prisoners of war from each side next week.
(3) President Zelensky and President Putin signed an agreement yesterday which will/would guarantee the release of 10 prisoners of war from each side next week.
(4) President Zelensky and President Putin signed an agreement yesterday which guarantees/guaranteed the release of 10 prisoners of war from each side next week.
Thanks
Hello Yornis,
In all of these sentences both will and would are possible. The agreement has been signed but not implemented, so the speaker can still see the release as likely or not depending on his or her evaluation of the situation.
Here both options are also possible but for a different reason. The agreement was signed in the past and so a past form ('guaranteed') is possible. The agreement is still current and so a present form ('guarantees') is also possible. I think the present form is more likely.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
Hello Yornis,
I have similar questions, and I have expressed them in the comments:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/comment/210131#comment-210131
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/comment/208250#comment-208250
Shetu Yogme
Hello sir. I'm confused about which should I use "would" or "will" in the following?
John: Should we go for picnic?
Mary: No, that would/will be a rotten idea.
Hello Plokonyo,
The most likely options here are the present simple (That is a terrible idea) or would (That would be a terrible idea). Will is not grammatically incorrect but it is a less common choice.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Then in what situation should we use "will", sir?
Hello again Plokonyo,
When we think the situation is likely we tend to use 'will'. When we think the situation is less likely we tend to use 'would'. Your speaker does not think they are going to end up having a picnic and so 'would' is the better option.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Plokonyo,
We should use will" in the following:
Shetu Yogme.
I was wondering which expression is more accurate, 'would be great or will be great?' For example:
It would be great if you make some recommendations for books.
It will be great if you make some recommendations for books.
Hello Plokonyo,
Grammatically speaking, the first sentence should really have a past tense in the second clause: if you made or if you could make, for example. However, although the sentence is grammatically a conditional, people often use 'It would be great if... as a fixed expression without considering the sentence as a conditional.
As we have said before, would is more tentative and polite in requests while will is more direct.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks Peter M. Can you explain what you mean by "would is more tentative?" I'm so unclear about it.
Hello again Plokonyo,
Tentative means less direct and less certain. Being tentative when making a request is one way to be polite as it is less demanding and signals that you understand the other person may not fulfil your request.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Plokonyo,
As Peter says you can use "conditional type of sentence" to be polite and tentative, I think using this form the speaker has some kind of hesitation on whether the listener will consider the request or the idea is actually great.
What do you think?
Shetu Yogme.
Hello LearnEnglish team,
I have following sentences with would from BBC News:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g8p24zm3vo
Let me try to give explanation to why would is used in these sentences:
In the first and fourth sentences, we use would because the deal has not yet been agreed. Second, fifth and seventh sentences are in indirect speech where will is changed to would. In the third sentence, the verb want is softened by would like. What do you think of my explanation?
I am not sure about the sixth sentence. The reporting verb is in the present tense, then why will is not used?
Shetu Yogme.
Hello ShetuYogme,
Your explanations are good - well done.
In the sixth sentence remember that the proposal is still not agreed so I think there is an implied if-clause: ...aid would enter If the other side agreed to the proposal.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello again,
I have still a confusion. The implied if-clause could be "if the other side agree to the proposal.", couldn' it be?
We don't know wether the other side agree to the proposal or not. The other side may agree or may not. "If other side agreed to the proposal" -- is this not a hypothetical situation or we would say condition in unreal time. Doesn't this if-clause imply that the other side is never going to agree to the proposal, and we are just imagining unreal and impossible future?
I would be indebted to you, if you could just make me understand.
Shetu Yogme.
Hello Shetu Yogme,
We use this kind of conditional to talk about impossible or unlikely events. If I say, for example, 'If I won the lottery I would buy a new house' it does not mean I cannot win the lottery; it simply means that I do not see as a likely possibility. By using this form the speaker can signal that agreeing the deal is by no means certain.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Sir ,
If these events in if-clauses are impossible or unlikely, then if-clause suggests that winning the lottery is impossible. If winning the lottery is impossible, buying a new house is also impossible. If winning the lottery is impossible, then why doesn't it mean the person can't win the lottery?
Shetu Yogme.
Hello Shetu Yogme,
Winning the lottery is an unlikely event but not impossible.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello team,
I came across an example in direct and indirect speech that I’m having a hard time understanding.
If I say, “John promised he would phone us as soon as he arrives,” is that grammatically incorrect in this context?
Or would it be better to say “will phone” instead?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Best regards.
Hello flwrish,
The original sentence (direct speech) would be as follows:
When reported, the verb form moves back:
The next part depends on whether or not John is still in transit. If so, then both arrives and arrived are possible. If John has arrived and the whole context is now in the past then arrived is needed.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello LearnEnglish team,
In the following article from the BBC, there is a sentence with would :
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250625-can-ai-speak-the-language-japan-tried-to-kill
What is the meaning of would in these sentences? Could you clarify?
Shetu Yogme.
Hello ShetuYogme,
Here, would shows a habitual or typical action. It has a similar meaning to used to.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Peter,
I got it. Would in that article was similar to used to. I didn't imagine it shows past habitual or typical action. I should have applied all the knowledge I have about this volatile modal verb.
Shetu Yogme.
Hello,
Jon Hassler, Yesterday's Garbage, MAG: The Saturday Evening Post
Can "will have explained" be used in the last sentence? I'd like to use it for supposition.
Hello Tony_M,
Yes, you can certainly use you will have explained. In fact, I think using you have explained is a slightly odd choice here.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Yes, Tony M – you will have explained is the best choice here.
Shetu Yogme.
Thank you, Peter.
Can you explain why person B use "would" when answering question A? Why not say "A more complete sentence/context will be helpful?"
A: Does "could" have the meaning of "probably" or "can probably"?
It could mean either "I will do my best" or "let's do my best.
B: It is "possible", rather than "probable", in this example. It sounds quite tentative to me.
A more complete sentence/context would be helpful.
Hello Plokonyo,
I think we've already answered questions like this many time before. Would is often used in contexts like this to make a reply more polite.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Teama
If I say "A more complete context will be helpful", is it OK, sir?
Hello again Plokonyo,
Yes, it is possible.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
But why does speaker B use "would" rather than "will', sir? Is "will" impolite there?
A more complete context will be helpful.
As I said, 'would' is more polite. 'Will' is not rude but it is not as polite as 'would' here.
Hello teachers,
Hope you can help me with the below.
( A ) I think you know that Simone Inzaghi is the manager of Inter Milan, whose team will play Paris St Germaine in the European Champions League Cup final about 2 weeks later.
(1) (For likely and open situations)
Inzaghi is a very good manager. It will be an injustice if Inzaghi does not win the Europeon Champions League Cup at least once in his career.. (Correct. Do you agree?)
(2) (For unlikey possibilities)
Inzaghi is a very good manager. It would be an injustice if Inzaghi did not win the European Champions League Cup at least once in his career. (It is in accordance with "if" clause rules, but sounds odd. Do you agree? )
(3) Inzaghi is a very good manager. It would be an injustice if Inzaghi does not win the European Champions league Cup at least once in his career. (Sounds correct and idiomatic to me, but it seems to have broken the "if-clause" rule. So, I would like to ask: Is it really correct?)
No. 1 and no. 2 are in accordance with the "if-phrase" rules we learn in school.
No. (3) is against "if-clause" rules, but it sounds correct and idiomatic. Why?
( B ) In English grammar, are there exceptions where the "if-clause" rule can be broken?
Thanks
Hello Yornis,
Yes, I agree. And I also agree that Inzaghi is a very good manager.
I don't think it sounds odd. I think the speaker here is signalling that they do not believe that Inzaghi will fail to win the cup at least once - that such a scenario is unlikely.
I would say that this is a non-standard form which does not follow standard grammatical rules. I'd also say that people use non-standard forms frequently and whether you describe is as an error or as something idiomatic and idiosyncratic depends on your own views on the language. Remember that language is fluid and grammar rules are constantly changing to reflect current use. Personally, I would not say this, but I would not consider it an egregious error if I heard it.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
How does "would" work in "I would interpret...?"
A: What is meant by "Well, here's a do," in the following context from Angela Carter's "Nights at the Circus":
Well, here’s a do, Sybil.’ Colonel Kearney addressed his pig. ‘The madmen take over the lunatic asylum.’
Susi: I would interpret "do" here as meaning something like "predicament" or "situation."
Hello Plokonyo,
As we've said before, 'would' is often used to show a statement is more tentative in some way. You can think of it as implying an if-clause: If you asked me, I would...
The phrase 'a do' is a slightly old-fashioned term for a party or celebration. It's not used very much these days but I remember my mother using it when I was a child.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks Peter M for the explanation. My confusion is why not use "will" in the sentence? How does "will" actually work?
I will interpret "do" as meaning...
Hello again Plokonyo,
'Will' implies a choice in this context. You could imagine people playing a game in which everyone has to interpret a statement in some way and a player says 'I will interpret it like this...' - meaning 'I choose to interpret it like this...'
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello teachers,
I would be grateful if you could help me with the below:
In this office, there are 20 staff members. Among them are Tom, Harry and Wilfred. Wilfred is looking for his stapler and realises someone has borrowed his stapler without permission. The below is the dialogue that followed:
Wilfred: Someone has borrowed my stapler without asking me. I wonder who took it.
Tom: It could be Harry.
(a) He takes other people's things without permission.
(b) He will take other people's things without ppermission.
(c) He would take other people's things without permission.
In the above context, are options (a), (b) and (c) all ccorrect?
Thank you.
Hello Yornis,
Yes, all of those are possible.
(a) describes Harry's typical behaviour
(b) describes what you expect from Harry based on what you know of him and his past behaviour
(c) is similar to (b) but suggests something more hypothetical: he's the kind of person who would do this
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks
Hello Peter and Yornis,
If the dialogue went the following way, what would be considered correct?:
Sentence (a), obviously, expresses typical behaviour, that's to say a general truth about Harry's behaviour. Alternatives in sentence (b) are confusing. If either of you could help me, please.
Hello ShetuYogme,
The sentence is the same as in Yornis's question but with negative verbs. The answer is the same:
All of those are possible.
(a) describes Harry's typical behaviour
(b) will not describes what you expect from Harry based on what you know of him and his past behaviour; would not is similar but suggests something more hypothetical: he's the kind of person who would do this
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Shetu Yogme,
I am glad that like me, you're also very interested in the modal auxiliary "would".
Hi Yornis,
Thank you very much for replying to my post. Yes, I'm very interested in the modal verb "would". This modal verb can sometimes be very confusing, making it seem inconsistent with the rules described in any grammar book. I'd request the LearnEnglish Team to publish all our comments, so that we can see, understand and reply when you feel the questions are going around in circle and you feel fed up with answering seemingly repeated questions.
Thank you once again.