Modal Verbs Will and Would in English
Will is hardly ever a purely modal verb. It generally combines its modal meaning with the function of an auxiliary verb expressing futurity. Will has two forms: will for the present tense and would for the past tense. Thus will and would are 65 looked upon as forms of the same verb, although in a few cases their meanings differ.
Will expresses:
- Willingness, intention. In most cases will is rendered by emphatic intonation
- Don’t worry. We will help him
- This meaning is often found in conditional clauses after if:
- I shall call you if you will allow me
- Refusal (in negative sentences)
- The shop assistant wouldn’t change the jumper for me even though I hadn’t worn it
- Resistance when speaking about lifeless things.
- The door won’t open
- Polite request
- Will you please be quiet? I’m trying to concentrate
- Will you help me? — Yes, I will. / I’m afraid I can’t. (No, I won’t — is not common because it is impolite. It means: I don’t want to help you.)
- Would expresses a more polite request
- Orders, rules and formal instructions
- You will do exactly as I say
- Characteristic habits. Will can sometimes be used in place of the Present Simple
- Every day Dan will come home from work and turn on the TV
- Would is used to speak about things that happened repeatedly in the past (but not past states)
- Dad would always help us with our maths homework
- Certainty about the present and the past. It is similar to must
- This will be just what she wants
- We sent the invitations on Monday, so they will have received them by now
- Disapproval of something expected. In this meaning only would is used. It is used mainly in responses
- Не refused to help. — Не would
| WILL | WOULD |
| Will is used to indicate future | Would is used to indicate the past |
| Will is used in the formation of conditional clause type 1 | Would is used in the formation of conditional clause type 2 and 3 |
| Will is less polite than would | Would is more polite and formal than will |