The difference between "will" and "would"

Question

0 Could you please inform me about the difference in the use of "will" and "would"? I usually get confused between both. I know that would is the past form of  "will" , but sometimes I find that "would" is used in a present meaning. Thanks. 0-

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

0Hi Anon,02br
02br
00Why don't you try a search of this site using 01i00modal would 02i00as your search terms, and read what comes up. If you still have questions after that, please write a more specific question, okay?0-

CalifJim · Answer

0 It seems that you already know about "would" as the past of "will". 01i00will02i00 is used to express the future of the present; 01i00would02i00 is used to express the future of the past.02br
02br
00 Today you say: 01i00I 01b00will02b00 be travelling to New York next week.02i02br
00 Tomorrow you say: 01i00Yesterday I said that I 01b00would02b00 be travelling to New York next week.02i02br
02br
00 But your question seems to be more concerned with other uses of 01i00would02i00.02br
02br
01i00would02i00 is used with 01i00like02i00 as a polite way of expressing your desires or asking about others'. 01i00would like02i00 is a polite substitute for 01i00want02i00.02br
02br
01i00I 01b00would like02b00 to visit China some day.02br
02i01b00Would02b00 you01b00 02b01i01b00like02b00 another piece of cake?02br
02br
00 would 02i00is very often used to indicate intended actions in a hypothetical situation expressed in an 01i00if02i00 clause. The 01i00if02i00 clause is in the past tense, but the meaning is in present (hypothetical) time. The hypothetical situation is often some state, action, or event that is only remotely possible, but it can be something that is at least somewhat possible.02br
02br
01i00I would buy a big house if I had a million dollars.02br
00 I would take a trip around the world if I won the lottery.02br
00 Joe would be very happy if he got the job he applied for last week.02i02br
02br
00 Sometimes the idea of the hypothetical situation is carried by some structure other than an 01i00if02i00 clause.02br
02br
01i00I think you would be happier in a bigger house.02i00 (if you moved to a bigger house, if you had a bigger house, if your house were bigger)02br
01i00Sally wouldn't be able to cope with another child.02i00 (if she had another child)02br
02br
00 The 01i00if02i00 clause and similar phrases may be omitted. In these cases, we can only guess what the hypothetical situation might be, and frequently only context reveals what that situation is. These are sometimes the most difficult cases for students to understand and master. These uses of 01i00would02i00 can seem to be nothing more than softened forms of the present tense.02br
02br
01i00Would you be able to help me carry this package?02i00 (if I asked nicely, as I am doing now)02br
00 After hearing what someone else has done: 01i00I would never do something like that02i00 (if it were me in place of that person)02br
02br
00 You might want to post questions about specific sentences with 01i00would02i00 which seem troublesome for you.02br
02br
00 CJ0-

Anonymous · Answer

0THAT IS REALLY GREAT.... IT WAS REALLY A GREAT PLEASURE AT ITS ZENITH TO READ SUCH EXPLAINATION ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WILL AND WOULD...THANKS A LOT..........MAY PEACE AND MERCY OF ALLAH BE UPON U ALL..........01blockquote

01cite10CalifJim12cite10It seems that you already know about "would" as the past of "will". 11i10will12i10 is used to express the future of the present; 11i10would12i10 is used to express the future of the past.12br
12br
10Today you say: 11i10I 11b10will12b10 be travelling to New York next week.12i12br
10Tomorrow you say: 11i10Yesterday I said that 11b10would12b10 be travelling to New York next week.12i12br
12br
10But your question seems to be more concerned with other uses of 11i10would12i10.12br
12br
11i10would12i10 is used with 11i10like12i10 as a polite way of expressing your desires or asking about others'. 11i10would like12i10 is a polite substitute for 11i10want12i10.12br
12br
11i10I 11b10would like12b10 to visit China some day.12br
12i11b10Would12b10 you11b10 12b11i11b10like12b10 another piece of cake?12br
12br
10would 12i10is very often used to indicate intended actions in a hypothetical situation expressed in an 11i10if12i10 clause. The 11i10if12i10 clause is in the past tense, but the meaning is in present (hypothetical) time. The hypothetical situation is often some state, action, or event that is only remotely possible, but it can be something that is at least somewhat possible.12br
12br
11i10I would buy a big house if I had a million dollars.12br
10I would take a trip around the world if I won the lottery.12br
10Joe would be very happy if he got the job he applied for last week.12i12br
12br
10Sometimes the idea of the hypothetical situation is carried by some structure other than an 11i10if12i10 clause.12br
12br
11i10I think you would be happier in a bigger house.12i10 (if you moved to a bigger house, if you had a bigger house, if your house were bigger)12br
11i10Sally wouldn't be able to cope with another child.12i10 (if she had another child)12br
12br
10The 11i10if12i10 clause and similar phrases may be omitted. In these cases, we can only guess what the hypothetical situation might be, and frequently only context reveals what that situation is. These are sometimes the most difficult cases for students to understand and master. These uses of 11i10would12i10 can seem to be nothing more than softened forms of the present tense.12br
12br
11i10Would you be able to help me carry this package?12i10 (if I asked nicely, as I am doing now)12br
10After hearing what someone else has done: 11i10I would never do something like that12i10 (if it were me in place of that person)12br
12br
10You might want to post questions about specific sentences with 11i10would12i10 which seem troublesome for you.12br
12br
10CJ12br
12br
12blockquote

10 0-

Milky · Answer

1i00<will02i00 is used to express the future of the present>02br
02br
00How about here?02br
02br
01i00The will have arrived by now.02i02br
02br
01i00No wonder your fingers are sore: you will keep biting your nails02i0-

The difference between "will" and "would"

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