Will vs would

Question

Hi,I am trying to understand the difference between the two. For example: Let's say I sign the deal. Will you be angry? (here, I believe will is right because there is speculation over the future).Otherwise, if we use would in a question, it refers to the immediate present. In other words, will=future, would=present. Is that right?Thanks,

Jennilee912 · Accepted Answer

Will you be angry? - (future)

Are you angry? (present)

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, J, but what about 'would you be angry'? I am assuming that'll fall in the present tense category.

BillJ · Answer

AnonymousI am trying to understand the difference between the two. For example: Let's say I sign the deal. Will you be angry? (here, I believe will is right because there is speculation over the future).
Otherwise, if we use would in a question, it refers to the immediate present. In other words, will=future, would=present. Is that right?

Hi

Not quite. 'Would' is the past (preterite) form of 'will' ('I asked him to help me but he wouldn't'), but it can also be used for remote conditionals such as 'We'd save a lot of money if you would cycle to work'. In 'Will you be angry?' 'will' implies a future time, here supported by the future implication of the previous main clause 'Let's say I sign the deal', where clearly the 'signing' is something that will take place at some point in the future. A question always adds speculation about something.

BillJ

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymouswill=future, would=present. Is that right?

In general, no.

In some paradigms will = the future of the present, and would = the future of the past.

He says he will deliver the documents.
He said he would deliver the documents.

In others will = in the "real world" (situation in the present or future) and would = in "an imagined world" (speculation about the present or future).

If you pinch her, she will scream.
If you pinched her, she would scream.

Let's say I sign. Will you be angry?
Let's say I signed. Would you be angry?

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, CJ.

CalifJimLet's say I sign. Will you be angry?

When responding, doesn't the person say "I will be angry" instead of "I would be angry"? Now suppose it was like this: I need your approval at once. Would you do that for me? Again, the response: That would be fine. In this case, doesn't 'would' rather than 'will' sort of keep things in the present?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousWhen responding, doesn't the person say "I will be angry" instead of "I would be angry"?

Yes. It goes like this:

-- Let's say I sign. Will you be angry?
-- Yes, I will. (I will be angry.)

AnonymousNow suppose it was like this: I need your approval at once. Would you do that for me? Again, the response: That would be fine. In this case, doesn't 'would' rather than 'will' sort of keep things in the present?

would is used instead of will because would was in the question. I don't believe would has anything to do with keeping things in the present. would is simply an indirect (and therefore more polite) way of saying will. The direct version is:

-- I need your approval at once. Will you do that for me?
-- That will be fine.

>>> I think your confusion lies in the fact that will does not always strictly indicate futurity. It does not necessarily represent a future event. will is related to the word willing, which means something like "ready to act gladly" or "consenting" or "compliant". will can also mean "want" or "desire". So, paraphrasing the dialog above, we have:

-- I need your approval at once. Do you consent to do that for me?
-- I gladly consent.

Or,

-- I need your approval at once. Are you ready to comply with my wish that you do that for me?
-- I am glad to comply with your wish.

Or,

-- I need your approval at once. Do you want to do that for me?
-- I do.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, Jim, but how about this in simple present: It is correct to say that Harry is great. A more formal, polite way: It would be correct to say that Harry is great.

But suppose we replace it with will: It will be correct to say that Harry is great. Will here sounds more like a prediction regarding the future, doesn't it? It will be correct ... as though it is going to be correct sometime in the future. Would, on the other hand, is closer to the (original) simple present.

Unabuna · Answer

Hi,

You generally use "will" when referring to a real possibility in a present situation. You would generally use "would" when referring to an "unreal" possibility in a present situation.

When we use "would", we're either less sure of the possibility of something happening, or we don't want to assume too much and want to stay polite or more diplomatic.

Example:

If Tony Hayward, the president of BP, gives an interview tonight about the oil rig spill, I will/am going to watch it. (If present, will) I use "will" because I think an interview can happen.

Okay, let's say I sign this contract. Will you be angry? (The situation is real.)

If Tony Hayward gave an interview tonight, I would not watch it. I do not like that man!

(If past, would) I use "would" because I know there will not be an interview tonight. It's just a hypothetical situation.

Let's say I signed the contract. Would you be angry? (The situation of signing is not real, OR you just want to be more diplomatic, less direct.)

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousThanks, Jim, but how about this in simple present: It is correct to say that Harry is great. A more formal, polite way: It would be correct to say that Harry is great.

Politeness and formality have nothing to do with it because there is no social interaction going on here. The sentence with would is simply an indirect, weaker version of the first one with is. -- If you said that Harry is great, you would be correct.

AnonymousBut suppose we replace it with will: It will be correct to say that Harry is great. Will here sounds more like a prediction regarding the future, doesn't it? It will be correct ... as though it is going to be correct sometime in the future.

It will be correct to say ... is not really idiomatic. I don't think many people are going to say it that way. Nevertheless, supposing that someone did say it, it does seem like a prediction that something is going to be correct in the future.

AnonymousWould, on the other hand, is closer to the (original) simple present.

Yes, I suppose you could look at it that way, especially if it helps you understand the usage of will and would. I don't think that this relationship holds generally and consistently all the time, though. For example, combinations like "I would leave tomorrow" are certainly possible, so would can also refer to future events.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks again, Jim. I would leave tomorrow is somewhat tentative (I would leave tomorrow but unfortunately I can't), whereas I will leave is more decisive. Also the difference between 'would you like to dance' and 'will you like to dance'?

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