Monday, August 9, 2010

Ues of Would


Would is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use would mainly to:

* talk about the past
* talk about the future in the past
* express the conditional mood

We also use would for other functions, such as:
* expressing desire, polite requests and questions, opinion or hope, wish and regret...

We cannot say:
I would to like coffee.

I would like coffee.

Be careful! Would and had have the same short form 'd:
He'd finished. (He had finished.)
He'd like coffee. (He would like coffee.)

would: Talking about the past

We often use would as a kind of past tense of will or going to:

* Even as a boy, he knew that he would succeed in life.
* I thought it would rain so I brought my umbrella.
* She said that she would come. (NOT She said that she would to come.)

Using would as as a kind of past tense of will or going to is common in reported speech:

* She said that she would buy some eggs. ("I will buy some eggs.")
* The candidate said that he wouldn't increase taxes. ("I won't increase taxes.")
* Why didn't you bring your umbrella? I told you it would rain! ("It's going to rain.")

Questions and negatives are made without do.

* Would you like to come with me? (NOT Do you would like to come with me?)
* He wouldn’t come. (NOT He don’t would come.)

We often use would not to talk about past refusals:

* He wanted a divorce but his wife would not agree.
* Yesterday morning, the car wouldn't start.

We sometimes use would (rather like used to) when talking about habitual past behaviour:

* Every weekday my father would come home from work at 6pm and watch TV.
* Every summer we'd go to the seaside.
* Sometimes she'd phone me in the middle of the night.
* We would always argue. We could never agree.
* The old man would sit in a corner and talk to himself for hours.
* She would always bring us nice little gifts.

He used to be a chain smoker. (NOT He would be a chain smoker.)

The above sentence means that he is not a chain smoker at the moment, but he used to smoke a lot at some point in the past.

would: Future in past

When talking about the past we can use would to express something that has not happened at the time we are talking about:

* In London she met the man that she would one day marry.
* He left 5 minutes late, unaware that the delay would save his life.

would: Conditionals

We often use would to express the so-called second and third conditionals:

* If he lost his job he would have no money.
* If I had won the lottery I would have bought a car.

Using the same conditional structure, we often use would when giving advice:

* I wouldn't eat that if I were you.
* If I were in your place I'd refuse.
* If you asked me I would say you should go.

Sometimes the condition is "understood" and there does not have to be an "if" clause:

* Someone who liked John would probably love John's father. (If someone liked John they would probably love John's father.)
* You'd never know it. (for example: If you met him you would never know that he was rich.)
* Why don't you invite Mary? I'm sure she'd come.

would: Desire or inclination

* I'd love to live here.
* Would you like some coffee?
* What I'd really like is some tea.

would: Polite requests and questions

* Would you open the door, please? (more polite than: Open the door, please.)
* Would you go with me? (more polite than: Will you go with me?)
* Would you know the answer? (more polite than: Do you know the answer?)
* What would the capital of Nigeria be? (more polite than: What is the capital of Nigeria?)

would: Opinion or hope

* I would imagine that they'll buy a new one.
* I suppose some people would call it torture.
* I would have to agree.
* I would expect him to come.
* Since you ask me I'd say the blue one is best.

would: Wish

* I wish you would stay. (I really want you to stay. I hope you will stay.)
* They don't like me. I'm sure they wish I'd resign.

would: Presumption or expectation

* That would be Jo calling. I'll answer it.
* We saw a police helicopter overhead yesterday morning. | Really? They would have been looking for those bank robbers.

would: Uncertainty

* He would seem to be getting better. (less certain than: He seems to be getting better.)
* It would appear that I was wrong. (less certain than: It appears that I was wrong.)

would: Derogatory

* They would say that, wouldn't they?
* John said he didn't steal the money. | Well, he would, wouldn't he?
would that: Regret (poetic/rare) - with clause

This rare, poetic or literary use of would does not have the normal structure:

* Would that it were true! (If only it were true! We wish that it were true!)
* Would that his mother had lived to see him become president.

Some More

I would like some advice. (NOT I would to like some advice.)
He wouldn’t come. (NOT He don’t would come.)
Direct speech: She said, ‘I will come.’
Indirect speech: She said that she would come.
Would you move a bit? (More polite than ‘Will you move a bit?’)
Would you mind opening the window? (More polite than ‘Will you mind opening the window?)

No comments: