confused about 'would'

0I know 'would' carries many meanings. My problem is sometimes I find it difficult to tell which meaning the speaker uses. I think I understand its hypothetical usage, and in some contexts, its politeness usage. Below is a post that has several woulds I have trouble interpreting. I also copied a post on would by CalifJim for reference.02br
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01i00 Your analysis is good. Context will determine if you're using the expression as an excuse to break off what you're doing. If you're calling the people you expect to meet, then you 01font00would02font00 (1)tell them the truth. You can say, "I'll be about five minutes late," or "I may be a little late." If you're speaking to someone who is about to make you late for an appointment, the expression 01font00would(2)02font00 mean, "Hey, I'm gonna be late if I don't split right now!" If you just say, "I'm gonna be late," you probably 01font00would(3)02font00 have already tipped the person off that you 01font00would(4)02font00 need to end the conversation soon, and as you suggest, you 01font00would(5)02font00 still expect to be on time if you left immediately.02i02br
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001) I don't thing politeness is the intended meaning here. To my ear, it carries the meaning of preference.02br
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002) would here means possible? I have zero confidence in this one.02br
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003) it doesn't look like hypothetical usage to me because the if clause is in present tense 02br
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004) and 5) should follow the same reasoning for #3, whatever that is.02br
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00Please help! Thanks in advance!02br
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00CalifJim's explanation on would02br
01i00Yes. I thought maybe that's what you were referring to.02br
00would in an if clause is possible when the would or the entire if-clause is part of a formula of politeness. if you would be so kind is a typical example of if with would in a "politeness phrase". This formula is equivalent to please. This sort of if-clause does not even have to be classified as a true conditional even though it contains the word if.02i02br
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01i00The phrase would like as a polite way of saying want, and it too can appear in an if-clause. Note that the idiom would like counts as a present tense for purposes of tense combinations. That is, it may combine with the imperative or the future. The idiom would rather has the same property.02i02br
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01i00If you would like to have dinner with us tomorrow, please call and let us know before noon.02br
00I'm sure that if he'd like to go with us, he'll tell us. (If he would like to go, he will tell us.)02br
00If you'd rather wait until tomorrow, [just say so / I'll understand].02i02br
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01i00if-clauses that are part of an indirect question structure are also exempt from the rule about combining if and would:02i02br
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01i00I wonder if he would object to this procedure.02br
00I don't know if I would agree.02br
00We had not decided if we would go along with the plan.02i02br
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01i00With the exception of the indirect question structure, which is quite common, these are just a very, very small number of situations where if and would occur in the same clause. The main rule for 99.99999% of cases is 'never' to place if and would together!02br
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