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