'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?

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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.

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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.

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Hello again Plokonyo,

Some user has asked exactly the same question, which you can have a look at by clicking the link given below and scroll down to read the subsequent answers explaing the reason why 'would' works here:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/comment/200306#comment-200306

Shetu Yogme

Hello Peter and Yornis,

The Collins dictionary entry for 'would' under 4th definition says:

You use 'would', or 'would have' with a past participle, to indicate that you are assuming or guessing that something is true, because you have good reasons for thinking it.
You wouldn't know him.
His fans would already be familiar with Caroline.
That would have been Della's car.
He made a promise to his great-grandfather? That would have been a long time ago.
It was half seven; her mother would be annoyed because he was so late.

Here is the link: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/would

But the Longman dictionary entry for 'would' says:

'Would' is used to say that you think something is true:
That will be Tim coming home now.
As you will have noticed, there are some gaps in the data.

See the 5th definition: https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/will

In conclusion, I can say pretty surely that 'will' and 'would' can be used interchangeably for bliefs and assumptions.

Shetu Yogme

Hello Yornis,

I made a typing mistake while writing the above comment. I wrote 'would' instead of 'will'. What I mean was:

'Will' is used to say that you think something is true:
That will be Tim coming home now.
As you will have noticed, there are some gaps in the data.

This was Longman dictionary entry for 'will', no 'would'.

Shetu Yogme

Hello teacher(s),

I recently said the below but was not sure to use "would" or "will":

Every time I get a holiday, I visit Canada. You will/would be thinking: "What is so interesting about Canada?" Well, Canada is interesting because................

My guess is that you will say "will" is correct because it is an assumption. Am I right?

Hello Yornis,

Yes, you're right: will is the best choice here. You could also use might or may.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello teacher,

Thanks for answering. You said "will" is the best choice. By this, do you mean "would" is also correct, but not as good a choice as "will"?

If "would" is also acceptable for the above context, what is the function of "would" in such a case?

Thank you

Hello Yornis,

Yes, that's right. I think 'might' or 'may' is the best choice. 'Will' is also fine. 'Would' is much less common in this context but not incorrect.

All of these have the same function/meaning in the sentence. 'Would' is perhaps a little less direct, more tentative and possibly more formal.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello Yornis,

For assumption, 'will' is the most preferred choice, I would say. Also, 'may' and 'might' are possible. But I must not say 'would' is not used in the same meaning. I have seen many texts involving 'would' for assumptions. As you say, people might say "You would be thinking..."

What opinion do you have on this, Yornis? Would you let me know?

Shetu Yogme.

Hello Shetu Yogme,

I am honoured that you asked my opinion. Actually I was also going to ask our teacher the same question you asked me above. But it seems our teacher has answered the question in his latest reply above. Like me, you are finding that the word "would" is causing a lot of problems, isn't it? Even some, or many, school teachers do not know all the rules of "would".

Hello Yornis,

Thank you for replying.

In order to avoid confusion, I think it can be more appropriate to use other modal verbs like 'must', 'may/might' or 'may/might well'. So we could say:

You must be thinking...,
You might be thinking..., or
You may well be thinking.

Yes, 'will/ would' or in general all the modal verbs are causing a lot of problems for learners like you and me, I agree.

Happy English learning!

Shetu Yogme

Hello LearnEnglish Team,

In a column in an English newspaper, there was an article about a Hindi poet who is considered to be a national poet by many. There is a sentence:

Today, 51 years after his death on this day in 1974, the true homage to the national poet would be to pleadge for unity in diversity, a sentiment he amply expressed in his work 'Sanskriti ke Char Adhayay' (Four chapters of culture).

My question is: Why the author chose 'would' instead of 'will'?

My explanation: The author wants to be tentative. He is not making any prediction or expressing likelihood of what will be the true homage. He wants to express his idea about what could be the true homage to the national poet.

Now, could you please comment on this? I think I have not asked these kind of questions before.

Shetu Yogme

Hello Shetu Yogme,

It's hard to comment without knowing the context, but just looking at this sentence I understand it to mean that there is a lack of 'unity in diversity' and the writer wants to suggest that it would be better, and a true homage to the poet, if things were different. In other words, the writer is describing a hypothetical present/future, not a real one.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello Peter,

Thank you very much for replying.

I'm pretty sure that my explanation fits here, given the context I have understood while reading the article. The author has used 'would' as a way of tentativeness, distancing and to express his polite opinion. The writer is not describing an impossible future or present. Yes, it can give an impression that there is a lack of unity in diversity, but we don't know for sure that this is the case.

Shetu Yogme

Hello team, I would be grateful if you could help me with the below: It is from an American detective series, CSI. Detective Grimson and Detective Warwick are in a small interrogation room interviewing a suspect. Detective Warwick and the suspect sits on a chair while Detective Grimsom stands leaning against a wall. DETECTIVE WARWICK: Why did you visit Tom ( the murdered victim) last week? THE SUSPECT: I had not seen Tom for months. Who said I visited Tom last week? DETECTIVE GRIMSOM butts in by saying: That WOULD be me. What is the function of "would" in the last line? Thanks.

Hello Yornis,

This is quite a common way to respond in this kind of situation. It doesn't represent a grammatical or semantically separate use of would but rather is a convention in this particular situation.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello Peter and Yornis,

When Grimson says "That would be me", does it mean it is Grimson who said that the suspect visited Tom last week?

Shetu Yogme

Hello Shetu Yogme,

Yes, that's right.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

OK sir, thank you.

Hello sir, can you explain why speaker B doens't say "I will read the above as meaning ....?" I'm always confused.

A: Could you explain what the phrase "get on the ball" means?
Derby County enjoy some good early pressure in the Brentford half and get on the ball straight away at Griffin Park.

B: Not a sports enthusiast so I'm often confused by the jargon too. but in this case I would read the above as meaning that they 'got possession of' the ball straight away.

Hello Plokonyo,

I think we've answered many questions like this for you already so perhaps you can tell us what you think and we will comment then.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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,

(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.

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.

(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.

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:

John: We're going to have a picnic. We are inviting our childhood friends.
Mary: Wow! It will be amazing to have the picnic with childhood friends.

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:

Israeli hostages' families took part in a rally in Tel Aviv to demand a deal that would see them all released.
A Palestinian official said the group had sought amendments including a guarantee that hostilities would not resume if talks on a permanent truce failed.
Trump is due to meet Netanyahu on Monday, and it is clear that he would very much like to be able to announce a significant breakthrough then.
Hostages' relatives and thousands of their supporters attended a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to call for a comprehensive deal that would bring home all of the hostages.
On Tuesday, the US president said that Israel had accepted the "necessary conditions" for a 60-day ceasefire, during which the parties would work to end the war.
The proposal also reportedly says sufficient quantities of aid would enter Gaza immediately with the involvement of the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The official said Hamas also wanted a US guarantee that Israeli air and ground operations would not resume even if the ceasefire ended without a permanent truce.

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:

I will phone you as soon as I arrive.

When reported, the verb form moves back:

John promised he would [will>would] phone...

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 :

The cassette player would catch the reels, pulling magnetic tape through its mechanism. At first, just a slight hiss of static – and then the voice of her ancestors would flood the room.

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

I would not hesitate to release her today; however, my colleagues suggest we wait one more month in order to be absolutely certain. Therefore, if she has suffered no setback by November 1, you may come for her. I assume by this time you have explained everything to Mr. Nichols.

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.

'will' and 'would'

Beliefs

Willingness

Promises, offers and requests

Hypotheses and conditionals

Expressions with would

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