"Would"

I know he would help me  - - - (if he had to) - hypothetical

Thanks.

Now I'm confused though about "could and might" since they can be conditionals as well.

"I might go" - I think this is just possibility
"I couldn't go" - I think this is past ability
"If I were president, I could be rich" - This is obviously conditional due to the "if" clause. The website site the could is just a form of would + can, but why can't it simply just

BlackBlitzOther than conditionals, is would considered a past tense modal?

"I know he would help me."

What tense is the would?

would is past in form; it's historically the past of will. But it can be used in present-tense contexts, as shown in your sentence.

would in itself is a modal verb, and it do

BlackBlitzThanks.

Now I'm confused though about "could and might" since they can be conditionals as well.

"I might go" - I think this is just possibility
"I couldn't go" - I think this is past ability
"If I were president, I could be rich" - This is obviously conditional due to the "if" clause. The website site the could is just a form of would +