'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 LearnEnglish team,
I want to understand the difference between "wouldn't" and "didn't", when we are talking of the situation in the past.
For example:
Here "wouldn't" and "didn't" look quite similar.
Shetu Yogme.
Hello ShetuYogme,
The difference is in the meaning. We use 'wouldn't' to mean 'didn't agree to' or 'wasn't willing to' - it implies a refusal of some kind. We use the past simple when we want to state the fact bit not imply a reason.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Peter,
Thank you very much for your answer.
I don't think that in the following sentence "wouldn't"means "didn't agree to"or "wasn't willing to"; it gives an impression of inability or helplessness of some kind:
Not to go to sleep wasn't the baby's choice. Is it common to use "wouldn't" in this type of scenario?
Shetu Yogesh.
Hello ShetuYogme,
We often attribute a choice to things that don't behave as we would like, even if they are inanimate objects or machines. For example, 'My computer won't (wouldn't) open the file', 'My car wouldn't start this morning', or 'Typical! It would rain just when I have to leave the house!'
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Peter,
Thank you again for giving an explanatory answer, clearing my doubt.
But is the last sentence OK in the context of a present usual situation? I think it would be better to use "will" as opposed to "would":
Shetu Yogme
Hello again Shetu Yogme,
Both will and would are possible in the case of the rain. Would describes typical and annoying behaviour; will describes the same but also makes it clear that as well as being typical and annoying it is current (i.e. happening at the moment of speaking).
In the example with the baby the speaker is not talking about something typical but a specific moment. In this case, would refers to the past and will to the present.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Shouldn't your examples and subsequent descriptions be this?:
Shetu Yogme
Hello Shetu Yogme,
Yes, that's right. Thank you for spotting this. I will edit the earlier post to avoid confusion.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi teachers,
On Quora app, an OP asked whether he was right in using "fog" and "foggy" in two sentences that he gave. After giving the required answer, the answerer wrote the below.
Examples of how to use them (i.e "fog" and "foggy") would be:
It is foggy in the streets.
The streets are shrouded in fog.
A thick blanket of fog has descended over the streets.
A more local term would be "it's like pea soup out there."
I would be grateful if you could tell me the function of the two "would"s in bold above.
Thank you.
Hello Yornis,
I think we've discussed this before. 'Would' is quite common when giving advice or guidance in a polite way. For example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello teacher,
I would be extremely grateful if you could help me with the following, which is a part of an article published on the Internet.
These days, many stores are open on Sundays so their employees work that day. They ( the employees ) would normally have a different day off during the week in place of Sunday.
What is the function of "would" above?
Thanks.
Hello Yornis,
I really don't know why the author has used would here. It doesn't seem consistent with the previous sentence.
Generally, we avoid commenting on pieces of text whose authorship and origin we don't know as we lack the information to make informed observations. The author may have simply made a mistake, or an inconsistency may have appeared as a result of the editing process, or there may be something later or earlier in the text which provides additional context.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
Hello teachers,
I would be grateful if you could help me with the below.
Lets say I am in a hall with 30 people. A few of them are slightly below the age of 18. I walk up to the stage and say:
"Ladies and Gentlemen,
May I have your attention, please. I am going to give you free gifts/ a free gift now. But recipients of the free gift have/will have to be at least 18 years of age. This is because the free gift is a bottle of beer. ( As you know, in some countries, those below the age of 18 are not allowed to drink or discouraged from consuming hard drinks)
My question is;
(a) Should it be "free gifts" or "a free gift"?
(b) I know that "have to be at least 18 years of age" is correct. My question for this part is:
Is "will have to be at least 18 years of age" also correct?
Thanks
Hello Yornis,
Both are fine. You can see it as a lot of gifts to be given out individually or one gift for each person.
(b) I know that "have to be at least 18 years of age" is correct. My question for this part is:
Yes, that's fine. You could also use present simple here. Again, it's a question of how the speaker sees it: receiving the gift is in the future, but it's so close to the present that it makes no difference.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
Hello LearnEnglish team,
I want to know whether the use of 'would' in the bold sentence below is correct:
I think the sentence could be better with 'would have', as Bhishma didn't violate the vow.
I need your guidance.
Shetu Yogme
Hello ShetuYogme,
I agree. I think would have is better here as the action is clearly in the past and did not happen.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello teacher,
Regarding your answer to Shetu Yogme's question above, do you mean that "would violate" is ALSO correct, but not as good as "would have violated"?
Thanks
Hello Yornis,
Yes. The word 'it' can be read as referring to a specific act in the past (marrying Amba) or as a reference to marriage in general. In the former case we use would have, in the latter would.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
Hello teachers,
I would be grateful if you could help me with the below.
Lets say I own a company. I tell people the below:
There will be job vacancies in my company next month.
(a) Applicants for the jobs have to be physically fit.
(b) Applicants for the jobs will have to be physically fit.
(c) Applicants for the jobs would have to be physically fit.
I have no doubt that option (a) is correct. As for option (b), it sounds wrong to me. In the case of option (c), my guess is that "would" can be used in this context because "would" is used to express a hypothetical situation. So, option (c) is correct. Am I right in my opinion regarding all three?
Thanks
Hello Yornis,
As you say, (a) is fine. Option (b) is possible as the recruitment is in the future you could imagine a person improving their fitness before applying, even if a month is a short time. Option (c) sounds rather odd as we are talking about a definite situation rather than a hypothetical one. You might use 'would' if it were still not sure whether or not recruitment would take place, but that does not seem to be the case here.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
Hello Yornis,
I think Option (b) is the most appropriate option here, as the context is dealing with the definite future.
Shetu Yogme
Hi Shetu,
Glad to see you back! It feels great having you and others learning together with me. Seems you got your answer right regarding my question. About your most recent question about Bishmi refusing to marry Amba, I was surprised your guess was right. Looks like I have more to learn. Goodbye.
Thank you, Yornis for showing interest in what questions I have and for possible answers I think for many questions including yours. Yes, we will learn together, grow together and rise together.
Shetu Yogme
Which should I say before the game begins - "will" or "would"?
A draw will/would be a better result for Manchester City than for Liverpool.
Hello kontol abo,
Both forms are possible here. If you think a draw is likely then will is the best choice. If you think it is unlikely then would is better.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello kontol abo,
Both forms are possible, as Peter has already stated. But I think "would" should be a better option, give the hidden context I can understand here.
We don't know whether Manchester City will end up with a draw. We are making a general, so as to say a hypothetical reference regarding what could be the better result. So, I think the better sentence would read:
What do have to say about this? Please let me know.
Shetu Yogme
Hi teachers,
I recently texted a Customer Service Representative telling her that I would like to deposit a sum of money into a certain bank account. Her reply was:
"Would you be transferring the money via online banking or a bank counter?"
I cannot see the reason for her using "would" above, because
(i) It is not a hypothetical situation. I really intend to deposit money into the account.
(ii) It is not a request.
(ii) It is not an invitation or offer.
Do you agree with me that she should have said: "Will you be transferring the money via......." instead?
Thanks.
Hello Yornis,
Yes, I agree with you. Since you are discussing a real situation and not a hypothetical or imaginary situation, will makes sense here.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
Context: suppose that I'm a moderator in a forum. A nonnative English speaker has written a paragraph in English but
he has not capitalized the letter "I." Accordingly I want to say to him one of these two. I don't know which one is grammatically ok:
It would be better if we capitalized the letter "I".
It will be better if we capitalize the letter "I".
What's the difference? Which should I use?
Hello kontoi abo,
I think 'you' is preferable to 'we' here as you are talking about an individual student, not making a general statement about people's behaviour.
In terms of will vs would, the most common option here is would as it comes across as a little more polite. Generally, we prefer a more polite tone when we are offering correction. However, both are acceptable. I've also changed 'the letter' to 'the pronoun'. It's a little pedantic of me, for which I apologise, but I think it's good to be precise when offering correction.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello teacher,
(1) I am surprised that you said the sentence with "will" is also acceptable. This is because there is no indication that the person who wrote that paragraph will write again. I would be grateful if you are willing to explain.
(2) About your apologising for correcting the unsuitable use of the word "letter", I think that is very nice of you. Actually, you do not have to apologise. I am sure all of us appreciate the fact that you are willing to correct something that is not our main question.
Thanks.
Hello Yornis,
Will is an expression of the speaker's expectation or belief. I don't know if the other will apply my advice in the future to this or similar sentences, but if I believe it is likely then 'will' is fine.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks.
Hello Yornis,
Yes, I agree.
Yes, the sentence is correct. The speaker uses will because they are expressing a belief or expectation.
This sentence is also correct. It's hard to say the reason the speaker uses would without knowing the context, but it could be that the speaker sees the situation as hypothetical in the sense that the person they are speaking to is not going to apply to be a police officer, or it could be that they want to make their opinion less forceful, as you say.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
Hi teachers,
I hope you could help me with the below.
It is from an episode of an American crime-documentry programme.
In this episode, Jane's daughter was abducted. After a few days, her daughter was rescued. Needless to say, it was a horrifying few days for Jane. At the end of the programme, Jane tells the narrator:
"This event was terrifying. I wouldn't want anybody else to go through this."
What is the function of "wouldn't" above?
Thank you.
Hello Yornis,
Would is very common when talking about desires and preferences. Just as we say I would like... to express a desire, here I wouldn't want... is used to describe something the speaker does not want to happen.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
What about using it with "thought" in the beginning of a topic. Like sometimes I see sentences as: "I thought we would talk about something fun today, so I'm gonna introduce ... to you ...."
Is it used here to politely address the agenda or the plan for some talk?
Hello youssef.fd,
In this sentence 'thought' is a past form, so it is naturally followed by a past form in 'would'. If you change it to think then the 'would' changes to 'will':
As you say, this is a form of social distancing for politeness rather than a chronological past time. The sentence with 'would' is more tentative and polite; it sounds like a proposal rather than an instruction. The sentence with 'will', on the other hand, is more direct and sounds like an instruction.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi teacher,
I would be grateful if you could help me with the below, which is from an episode of Law and Order : SVU.
Recently a house was burnt down. Dectectives are not sure whether it is an accident or arson. One of the detectives goes to an expert on fire, Mr Smith, to get his opinion.
Detective: Mr Smith, everybody says when it comes to fire, you are the best independent investigator in the business.
Mr Smith: They would be right.
May I know what is the function of "would" here?
My guess is that "would" here is used to make what he says sounds less forceful. Am I right?
Hello Yornis,
I don't think analysing this in terms of grammatical function is particularly helpful, to be honest. It would just treat it as an expression for commenting on situations. There are several such expressions:
They would be right.
That would be correct.
That would make sense.
They would say that, wouldn't they?
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you
Dear Peter, Can the idiosyncratic usages of ‘would’ (hypothetical, imaginary or polite) be connected, or even aligned with the more generic rule on using the past tense (such as ‘I was wondering …’ or ‘I wanted to tell you …’ ) to make a current action (request, offer,etc) more polite? In other words, have all these aspects of ‘would’ actually developed from the use of ‘distancing tenses’ to show politeness? Separately, why could this tense manipulation create a sense of politeness? and why haven’t other words developed the same nuanced uses as ‘would’ has?