what is the difference?

Question

Please tell me the difference.What will you do tomorrow?What would you do tomorrow?To me, the second sentence carries the notion of asking for  his willingness to do something; whereas the first one seems to be asking  straight forward (adverb?? OK) the question of what he will do tomorrow literally  (I know, this is not a vocabulary help section but if you will allow me, "Did I use the word 'literally' correctly here?" I used it to emphasize the action of what he will do tomorrow. )

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi.

Please tell me the difference.

What will you do tomorrow?

What would you do tomorrow?

To me, the second sentence carries the notion of asking for his willingness to do something; whereas the first one seems to be asking straight forwardly (adverb?? OK) the question of what he will do tomorrow literally (I know, this is not a vocabulary help section but if you will allow me, "Did I use the word 'literally' correctly here?" I used it to emphasize the action of what he will do tomorrow.

You don't appear to me to have the right understanding here. Let's consider a few simple statements, before we try to deal with questions.

He is going to cook dinner tomorrow. This sounds like he has a plan.

He will cook dinner tomorrow. This can have various shades of meaning, eg a spontaneous decision, volunteering, prediction, an expression of determination, a logical deduction, a statemnt of routine. A very simplistic way of thinking about this is 'use will when there is no plan involved'.

He would cook dinner tomorrow. 'Would' gets you into the realm of conditional statements, statements of probability, etc.

Please consider these comments, and then reword your questions if you still have any. OK?

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, Clive.

Let me ask you which shade of meaning the following case illustrates (or going by)?

Head of family-like group: John, let me talk to you. As you know we are like a family and you have been eating and sleeping with us for years. Now, I, as the head of this family, am going to ask you to bear your share of burden in this difficult time by going out and making some money. You know that we need money to buy food, don't you? Are you willing to do it for us?

You: OK, I understand. I would go out and work, so that we can put food on our table.

Does this 'would' FIT any of the shades you mentioned?

Nona the brit · Answer

No, you should use 'will' here.

'Will' is used to state that something is definitely going to happen, or that your intention is that something is definitely going to happen.

'Would' is used conditionally or for hypothetical situations.

Believer · Answer

Thank you very much, Nona.

After reviewing all the posts, I still cann't shake off the feeling that 'would' could express the notion of 'willingness' and shouldn't be confined to drawing certain shades, like conditional statements or statements of probability (as Clive helpfully suggested). Would this illustrate a case where a shade of 'willingness' is shown?

We need a muscular man like you to lift this heavey table to the other side of the room right now. Would you be willing to do it? (or Would you do it?)

YES, I would. Let me go at it now.

Thank you for your anticipated help.

Nona the brit · Answer

Hello, I can see why this is confusing.

The use of 'would' is correct in the question as there is some doubt - we don't know if the man is willing or not.

In his answer though, you need 'will' as he is definitely going to do it. There is no more doubt. Therefore we use 'will'.

what is the difference?

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