When to use would in a sentence?
Conditional sentences We often use would (or the contracted form ‘d) in the main clause of a conditional sentence when we talk about imagined situations: If we had left earlier, we would have been able to stop off for a coffee on the way. If we went to Chile, we’d have to go to Argentina as well. I’d love to see both.
Can we use would instead of Will?
Yes, “would” is the past form of “will”, but it has various other uses too, which have nothing to do with the fact that would is the past form of “will”.
Would usage in sentence?
Another everyday use of “would” is in reported speech….The Many Uses of ‘Would’ in Everyday Speech, Part 1.
Uses of ‘Would’ | Example | Structure |
---|---|---|
Asking someone to do something | Would you mind passing the jelly? | Would you mind + gerund + object |
Reported speech | Anita said that she would bring the drinks. | Subject + said + (that) + noun clause |
How can I know if my sentence is correct?
Grammarly’s online grammar checker scans your text for all types of mistakes, from typos to sentence structure problems and beyond.
- Eliminate grammar errors.
- Fix tricky spelling errors.
- Say goodbye to punctuation errors.
- Enhance your writing.
How do you know a sentence is correct or not?
In order for a sentence to be grammatically correct, the subject and verb must both be singular or plural. In other words, the subject and verb must agree with one another in their tense. If the subject is in plural form, the verb should also be in plur al form (and vice versa).
What are the 3 types of fatigue?
There are three types of fatigue: transient, cumulative, and circadian:
- Transient fatigue is acute fatigue brought on by extreme sleep restriction or extended hours awake within 1 or 2 days.
- Cumulative fatigue is fatigue brought on by repeated mild sleep restriction or extended hours awake across a series of days.
How do I stop being tired and lazy?
- Eat often to beat tiredness.
- Get moving.
- Lose weight to gain energy.
- Sleep well.
- Reduce stress to boost energy.
- Talking therapy beats fatigue.
- Cut out caffeine.
- Drink less alcohol.
Why is my energy so low?
Low energy may arise when someone is under significant stress, is exercising too much or too little, or has a poor diet. When these are the causes, people should find that simple lifestyle changes cause a significant boost in their energy levels.
Why do I feel sleepy even after sleeping for 8 hours?
One of the simplest explanations is that it could be due to your body requiring more rest than the average person. However, it is also likely that your tiredness is due to the lack of quality sleep at night, rather than the quantity of it.
Why am I feeling sleepy even after sleeping?
Anemia – Having insufficient levels of iron in your blood could cause you to feel tired no matter how long you sleep at night. Dehydration – This one may be quite surprising; however, dehydration is one of the most common reasons that you feel tired.
What Vitamin Are you lacking if you are tired all the time?
2. Vitamin deficiency. Being tired all the time can also be a sign of vitamin deficiency. This could include low levels of vitamin D, vitamin B-12, iron, magnesium, or potassium.
What do doctors prescribe for extreme fatigue?
Some prescription sleep medications help you get to sleep, such as: Eszopiclone (Lunesta) Ramelteon (Rozerem) Zolpidem (Ambien)…For example:
- Trazodone (Desyrel)
- Antidepressants.
- Benzodiazepines.
- Muscle relaxants.
How can I boost my energy level?
9 Natural Ways to Boost Your Energy Levels
- Get More Sleep. Sleep is something that easily gets put on the back burner when you’re busy.
- Reduce Stress.
- Move More.
- Avoid Smoking.
- Limit Alcohol.
- Eat a Nutritious Diet.
- Avoid Added Sugar.
- Stay Hydrated.
How soon will I feel better after taking Vitamin D?
Simply adding an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement can make improvements in just three to four months’ time. Vitamin D with a strength of 2000 international units daily is the recommended dose for most adults. However, you’ll want to chat with your doctor to find what’s right for you.
Is 2000 IU of vitamin D safe?
Mayo Clinic recommends that adults get at least the RDA of 600 IU. However, 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D from a supplement is generally safe, should help people achieve an adequate blood level of vitamin D, and may have additional health benefits.
How soon will I feel better after taking vitamin C?
In adults, the treatment is 300 to 1000 mg daily for one month. Symptoms should start to improve within 24 to 48 hours. You should be fully better within 7 days. Lower doses may be enough for vitamin C deficiency with no symptoms.
Can vitamin D deficiency make you feel really ill?
If you often become sick, especially with colds or the flu, low vitamin D levels may be a contributing factor. Several large observational studies have shown a link between a deficiency and respiratory tract infections like colds, bronchitis and pneumonia ( 5 , 6 ).
What Vitamin Am I lacking if I have dark circles under my eyes?
Vitamin deficiencies, including vitamin B12, E, K and D, have been associated with dark circles. 4- Volume Loss: Hollowness or the sunken appearance of the eyelids is the final primary cause of dark circles.
What are signs of low vitamin D?
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include muscle weakness, pain, fatigue and depression. To get enough D, look to certain foods, supplements, and carefully planned sunlight….Signs and symptoms might include:
- Fatigue.
- Bone pain.
- Muscle weakness, muscle aches, or muscle cramps.
- Mood changes, like depression.
What does vitamin D deficiency pain feel like?
A vitamin D deficiency can affect both physical and mental health, but many people have low levels of vitamin D without realizing. The physical symptoms of a deficiency may include muscle pain in the joints, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pain, which often occurs in the knees, legs, and hips.
How can I check my vitamin D levels at home?
“The overwhelming majority are self-collected blood tests including at-home finger prick options like imaware.” Everlywell, Drop, and myLAB Box are other brands that offer at-home vitamin D tests. Each relies on a finger prick blood sample.
How can I raise my vitamin D levels quickly?
- Spend time in sunlight. Vitamin D is often referred to as “the sunshine vitamin” because the sun is one of the best sources of this nutrient.
- Consume fatty fish and seafood.
- Eat more mushrooms.
- Include egg yolks in your diet.
- Eat fortified foods.
- Take a supplement.
- Try a UV lamp.
How long does it take for vitamin D 50000 IU to work?
One 2011 protocol from the Endocrine Society suggests a very high dose of vitamin D3: 50,000 IU, once a week for two to three months or three times a week for one month to restore the nutrient in the body to above 30 ng/mL for those who are deficient.
The word «would» has a few meanings and cases of use in English. Grammatically, «would» is the past form of «will». We do not put «to» before the main verb after «would» and the main verb stays in its infinitive form.
We often shorten «would» to ‘d (I’d, you’d, we’d etc.). Do not confuse the shortened versions of «would» and «had».
1. I would help you, but… — conditionals
«Would» is used in conditional sentences.
When we imagine or think of something which is not real, we use would + infinitive.
When we express regrets about something in the past, we wanted things to go otherwise, but we can’t change that anymore, we use would + have + past participle.
Examples
I would go to the cinema tonight, but I don’t have anyone to go with. (but I still can go if I find a company)
I would have gone to the cinema yesterday, but I didn’t have anyone to go with. (I regret it but I can’t change it)
John would come to the party tomorrow, but he won’t have time. (but he still can come if he has time)
John would have come to the party last week, but he didn’t have time. (he regrets it but he can’t change the past)
Diane would buy a new car, but she doesn’t have enough money. (she can still buy it if she has money)
Diane would have bought a new car last month, but she had to spend all her money on home renovation. (that happened last month so she can’t change that)
2. She said she would come — reported speech
We use «would» as the past of «will» when we need to harmonize tenses in two parts of the sentence, for example, in the reported speech.
Examples
Anne says she will come. → Anne said she would come.
I promise I will write. → He promised he would write.
They are sure they will be on time. → They were sure they would be on time.
3. He wouldn’t listen — refuse
We use «won’t» and its past form «wouldn’t» in the meaning of «not want», «refuse», «be unwilling» to do something.
Examples
I’m trying to talk to him, but he won’t listen. (= he doesn’t want to listen)
I was trying to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. (= he didn’t want to listen)
— Why are you angry? — The car won’t start. (= it «refuses» to start)
He was angry because his car wouldn’t start. (= it «refused» to start)
4. Would, used to — habits in the past
We use «would» as an analogue of «used to» when we speak about regular actions and habits in the past.
Examples
When I was younger, I would drink five cups of coffee a day. (= I used to drink…)
Do you remember? When we were kids, we would run through the field, climb the hill and hide under the big oak tree. (= we used to run…)
Pay attention!
In the examples above, we can either say «would» or «used to». But we can only say «used to» when we talk about states in the past and not physical actions.
For example
When Fred was a student, he used to have a beard. WRONG … would have a beard, because it isn’t a regular action
When we were children, we used to live in the countryside. WRONG … would live, because it isn’t a regular action
5. Would you please, I would like, would you mind — polite request and set phrases
We use «would» to make a polite request. It is also possible to use «could» (could you please…?) in the same manner.
Examples
Would you please help me?
Would you close the window, please?
Would you carry this bag, please?
«Would» is a part of some polite set phrases, like:
- I would like, would you like
- I would rather (do something)
- Would you mind (doing something)
The modal auxiliary verb ‘would’ is one of the most versatile modal auxiliary verbs in English, if not the most. It is used in different situations for different purposes. Today, we will dive in deep and master all the different uses of would in English.
Would is a modal auxiliary verb; that means, it supports or helps the main verb in a sentence. The interesting thing about would is that it can be used to refer to all the tenses: present, past, and future.
Different use of would
1. Past habits (repetitive actions in the past)
One of the most interesting uses of would is to talk about past habits or repetitive actions in the past. Read the following story carefully to master this use of would:
Back in the days, I had a classmate named Anish. He would come late to the class. He would be punished by the teacher every time. He would sit alone in the back seat and make weird noises. For that, he would get beaten too. 😉
The interesting and surprising thing was that he would not talk to any of our classmates; he would just be alone and talk to himself.
Other students would say that he had been hit by a train. Everyone would make fun of him for his peculiar behavior. Nobody would try to be his friends, sit with him, or even say Hi.
Isn’t it a tragic story? ;(
Yes, it is. But it is a great story to learn the use of would when to talk about repetitive actions in the past. All these things would happen repetitively in the past, and that’s why we are using would in these sentences. We can replace would in these sentences with ‘used to.’ It does the same job.
Let me show you more examples of would to talk about the repetitive actions in the past!
- When I was living in Mumbai, I would go to Juhu beach every evening and eat bhelpuri on the top of a rock.
- In my childhood, my father would take us to movies every weekend.
- It was amazing to be with Jerry. She would wake me up every morning, cook breakfast for me, feed me from her own hands.
- My sister would cry before going to school.
NOTE: we can replace would with used to in these sentences.
- When I was living in Mumbai, I used to go to Juhu beach every evening and eat bhelpuri on the top of a rock.
- In my childhood, my father used to take us to movies every weekend.
- It was amazing to be with Jerry. She used to wake me up every morning, cook breakfast for me, feed me from her own hands.
- My sister used to cry before going to school.
2. WOULD as the past form of will in indirect speech
Direct speech: Rahul said to me, “I will help you.”
Indirect speech: Rahul told me that he would help me.
Direct speech: He said, “You will be my best friend.”
Indirect speech: He said that I would be his best friend.
Direct speech: I said to my friends, “I will throw a party soon.”
Indirect speech: I told my friends that I would throw a party soon.
NOTE: Would is used as the past tense of will in indirect speech.
3. To make polite offers and invitations
Would is usually used to make polite offers and invitations.
- Would you like to be a part of our startup?
- Would you like to join us tonight for the party?
- Would you like me to book a cab for you?
- Would any of your friends be interested to watch the movie with us?
Note: we make polite offers and invitations use the structure ” subject + would + like to” or ” subject + would + like + noun/pronoun + to.”
4. Polite Requests
We often use would to make polite requests. We also use can or could to make requests too.
- Would you please shift a bit?
- Would you drop my son to his school?
- Would you lend me your phone for a minute, please?
- Would you share your current location, please?
Adding ‘please‘ to the request makes the request even more polite.
NOTE: Use “Would you mind + gerund ……. ? “ to make a request. It’s very common in spoken English.
- Would you mind sharing the pizza with me?
- Would you mind taking a photo of my kids?
- Would you mind carrying my bags for a moment?
- Would you mind helping me understand this text?
- Would you mind sharing some workout tips? We really need some.
5. Polite questions
Use would while asking polite questions.
- Would you like some cheese in your pasta?
- Would you like to try the cake I just have baked?
- Would you know the name of your math teacher?
- Would your husband mind if I dance with you?
You can use would to ask questions in a polite manner. The same questions can be asked in other ways too (not remotely polite).
- Do you want some cheese in your pasta?
- Do you want to try the cake I just have baked?
- Do you know the name of your math teacher?
- Does your husband mind if I dance with you?
6. To make wishes/desires
Use would to show you desires or wishes.
- I would like to open a school for underprivileged students.
- She would like you to sing for her.
- We would like to do something for the poor.
- My mother would like to see my kids before she dies.
- I would like some beer if that’s possible.
7. To show certainty or possibility
The modal will is used to talk about what people are willing to do in the present or in the future. Would is the past tense of will and is used to talk about what people were willing to do in the past.
- We will die for you.
- The students will do whatever you say.
- I will not put my job on the line for you.
- The baby will not sleep without getting the milk.
Use would in the past to talk about the willingness of a person or people!
- They would die for me if they had to.
- The students would do whatever I said.
- He would not put his job on the line for me.
- The baby would not sleep without getting the milk.
8. To give opinions
- Going there without knowing them would not be the right thing to do.
- Proposing her on her birthday would be the best.
- That job would be good to join.
9. Unreal or hypothetical situation (conditional sentences)
Would is used in conditional sentences to talk about unreal or hypothetical things.
Use of would in type 2 conditional sentences
- If I were your father, I would take away all the fancy gadgets from you.
- If she knew how to speak English, she would get many jobs.
- If I were a bird, I would shit on you every day.
- If he had more money, he wouldn’t do this terrible job.
In type 2 conditional sentences, we talk about an unreal or impossible situation and its result in the present or in the near future. We use the subjunctive ‘were’ to show the hypothetical condition.
Use would to give pieces of advises (2nd conditional)
- If I were you, I wouldn’t waste my talent like this.
(Don’t waste your talent like this)
- We would say ‘yes’ to his offer if we were you.
(You should say ‘yes’ to his offer)
- I would never leave this girl if I were you.
(You should never leave this girl)
- If I were you, I wouldn’t talk to my father with such a derogatory tone.
(You should not talk to your father with such a derogatory tone)
- If I were you, I would consult a doctor right away.
(You should consult a doctor right away)
Use of would in type 3 conditional sentences
- We would have won the match if they had not cheated.
- If the company had treated me well, I wouldn’t have left the job.
- If she had not lied to me, I would not have broken up with her.
- If you had come in my life earlier, I would have been a successful guy.
- Jon would have been alive if you had taken him to the hospital in time.
We use type 3 conditional sentences to about an unreal situation in the past, and its probable result in the past.
Examples of would in Mixed conditional sentences:
- If I did not have an exam tomorrow, I would be coming with you guys.
(I have an exam tomorrow, and I will not be coming with you.)
- Max would be really upset with us if we were not coming to his party.
(We are coming to his party, and he is not upset with us.)
- If I had listened to your advice that day, I would be dead today.
(I am not dead as I did listen to your advice that day.)
- If she had not cheated me, we would be getting married next week.
(We are not getting married next week because she cheated me.)
- If you had found Ashish, your lives would be so boring.
(Your lives aren’t boring as Ashish is with you.) 😉
Now, you have mastered the different usages of would in English. Feel free to share your question, doubt, or feedback in the comment section, and also, share the post with the people that need it.
For one-on-one classes, contact me at [email protected]
Hope the usages of would is clear. Feel free to ask your questions and share the post with others! See you in the other class!
Related YouTube videos:
Conditional sentences Type 1 2 3:
Mixed conditional sentences
Use of Can and Could
Would you like to know the difference between the words will and would?
In this article, we will look at the different meanings of will and would, explore how and when we use each of these words, and give examples that show how will and would are typically used in sentences.
⚡ Quick summary
The word will is an auxiliary verb (helping verb) and modal verb with a variety of different uses. For example, it is often used to express expectations, determinations, and capabilities. Will is also used with all other verbs to form the future tense, as in We will buy milk at the store tonight. Would is the past tense of will and is the form of will used in the subjunctive mood to express hypothetical statements. Both will and would are used to ask questions, but would is considered to be more formal or polite when used in this context.
When to use will or would
The word will is an auxiliary verb (helping verb) and a modal verb. It is commonly used together with other verbs to express expectations, determinations, capabilities, and several other meanings. For example:
- My pug will eat anything if you let her.
- The forecast said it will rain tomorrow.
- Typically, a snake will shed its skin several times during its life.
Will is also used with every verb to form the future tense, as in I will go to the beach tomorrow.
The word would is the past tense form of will. In general, it is used in all the same senses of will to express that something occurred in the past.
For example:
- My grandparents claimed they would walk ten miles to get to school.
- When I worked as a mascot, kids would always be happy to see me.
- During her time as a food critic, she would visit many fancy restaurants.
The word would is also often used in place of will when using the subjunctive mood, a verb mood used to express hypothetical or conditional statements. When used this way, would is used to express conditional or hypothetical ability or possibility even when talking about the present or the future. When discussing the past in this context, the word would is often used alongside the auxiliary verb have.
For example:
- If given the chance, my cat would totally destroy this sofa.
- If we do nothing, the rainforest would surely be lost within a generation or two.
- Charlie would have become a doctor if he could have afforded medical school.
Like other auxiliary verbs, will and would often appear alone in sentences. In this case, they are still acting as auxiliary verbs and the main verb is omitted but still understood.
For example:
- Jack won’t be here tomorrow, but Sarah will (be).
- I can’t help you move because I am sick. Trust me, I would (help) if I could (help).
Both will and would are used to ask questions. For example:
- Will you help me clean the yard?
- Would you help me clean the yard?
In general, would is often considered to be more formal or more polite than will when asking questions because it seems less blunt or less direct. Grammatically, though, it is correct to use either one.
Verbs similar to will and would
There are two other helping verbs that act in much the same way as will and would. The past tense of the verb can is could and the past tense of the verb shall is should.
Can’t get enough? Then review this guide on can vs. could.
Examples of will and would used in a sentence
We will end our discussion by looking at a few examples that show how we typically use will and would in our sentences.
- The movie will be released internationally.
- We would have a big problem if we didn’t keep the hornets and bees in separate areas.
- Santa Claus will come back again next Christmas.
- We will never know how the author would have ended the story if they had lived to finish it.
- My old car would break down constantly, so I am going to make sure my new car will be sturdy and reliable.
Take The Quiz
Feeling confident about how much you’ve learned about these verbs already? If so, we think you will perform admirably on our quiz on will vs. would. You may surprise yourself with what you’ve learned!
Would for Imaginary Situations
How to Use Would
There are many different uses of would, but on this page you’ll learn to use would when talking about imaginary situations.
What is an imaginary situation?
An imaginary situation is something unreal, you just create it in your mind.
You think or dream about something or you wish it. For example, you don’t have so much money but you think of a situation that you have a lot of money, you wish to have a lot of money and you think about the things you want to do with that money.
Let’s say, you want to buy a car and go on a holiday with that money. You say: I would buy a car. I would go on a holiday. You just imagine a situation that you have a lot of money.
Let’s talk about another example to explain the use of would:
Do you like watching movies? Well, I am not such a good watcher of movies, therefore I don’t usually recommend movies to my friends, but when I like a movie, I tell about this to my friends.
Have you watched the movie The Bucket List?
The Bucket List is a 2007 American comedy-drama movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The movie is about two men who are terminally ill cancer patients. They share a hospital room together but then they decide to leave the room and do the things they have always wanted to do. They have a wish list- the bucket list. And they try to do the things on the list before they kick the bucket.
What are the things on their bucket list?
— Witness something majestic
— Drive a Mustang Shelby
— Skydiving
— Get a tattoo
— Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world … and so on…
Now imagine the doctor told you that you have six months to live. What would you do? What would you write on your bucket list now? Me?
- I would dye my hair pink and blue.
- I would jump on a trampoline. – again.
- I would surprise someone… and so on. (Come on I can’t share all my list here.)
In these sentences I used would to talk about my imagination.
We use would for imaginary situations that are in the present or future.
The situation is not real, it might or might not happen.
For example; I said: I would dye my hair pink and blue.
Is my hair pink and blue now? NO.
Do I want to dye my hair pink and blue? YES.
Do I imagine it? YES.
Will I dye my hair? MAYBE.
Let’s see more examples:
- I would exercise more but I don’t have time for it.(I imagine a situation that I exercise more.)
- I would have dinner with you but I need to leave now.
- I imagine being on top of a mountain now, I would meditate every night.
- I live in the city, but in my dream house, I would be in the countryside and grow avocados in my garden.
- She would choose this dress with red dots. (Your friend wants to get a dress for her girlfriend and asks you which one is a better idea.)
- A: Imagine a garden covered with thick, green lawn and beautiful flowers. B: That would be amazing!
Would with Conditional Sentences
We use conditional sentences to talk about some conditions and their results.
There are three types of conditional sentences: Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3.
Here I want to talk about Type 2 conditionals.
There are two parts of a conditinal sentence: If clause and main clause.
In Type 2 conditional sentences, we talk about imaginary (unreal) situations in the present or future.
We use would in the main clause part of the Type 2 conditional sentence.
We use if + past simple, would + infinitive.
For example:
- If I had money, I would buy a new computer. (In reality, I cannot buy a new computer because I don’t have money.)
We use Type 2 conditional sentences to talk about imaginary situations. In spoken language, most of the time, we omit the if clause part of the sentence and just use the main clause with would.
Look at the examples again:
Let’s say we imagine a situation that we have more time and we talk about it with a friend. We say:
If I had time, I would exercise more.
When we talk to our friend, we can omit If I had time and only say, I would exercise more, because the person that we are talking to already knows or guesses this part of the sentence from what we previously talked. – most probably we were complaining to the person that we do not have time for anything, we dream of doing more exercises, etc.
We omit the first part of the sentence but the person that we are talking to still understands what we mean.
Let’s see more examples:
- When we imagine being on top of a mountain and talk about it to a friend, we can say:
I would meditate every night. (Normally the sentence is like If I were on top of a mountain, I would meditate every night. But we omit ‘If I were on top of a mountain’ part of the sentence.)
- When we imagine having only six months to live and talk about it to someone, we can say:
I would go to Iguazu Falls in Argentina. (We omit ‘If I had only six months to live’ part of the sentence.)
Now It’s your turn. Write down 3 things you would do if you had only six months to live. What’s on your bucket list?
How to Form Would
Would is a helping verb. In English we have helping verbs (auxiliary verbs) and main verbs.
When we use would in a sentence, we use it with a main verb. The main verb is in the infinitive form.
would + infinitive form of the verb
- I would tell him the truth. (If I were you, I would tell him the truth.)
Positive Sentences (+)
To form positive sentences with would, we use would with the infinitive form of the verb.
would + infinitive
- If I had time, I would travel to South Africa.
- If he were rich, he would buy a BMW.
- If we had enough space,we would put a dinner table in the middle of the living room.
- If I had a chance, I would learn how to fly a helicopter.
- If you helped me, I would finish my homework earlier.
Contractions (Short forms):
We usually use I’d as the short form instead of I would in a sentence.
Short form of would with different subject pronouns:
I would = I’d
You would = you’d
He would = he’d
She would = she’d
It would = it’d
We would = we’d
They would = they’d
Negative sentences (-)
To form negative sentences, we use not with would.
would + not + infinitive
- If I were born again, I wouldn’t worry about small things in life.
- If I had more money, I wouldn’t buy this phone.
- If my mother knew the price, she wouldn’t let me buy this dress.
- If I had some cash with me, I wouldn’t pay with credit card.
Questions (?)
To form questions, we use would at the beginning of the sentence.
Would + subject + infinitive?
- Would you come to the movies with me?
- If you had time, would you help me with the housework?
- If you had another chance, would you apologise to her?
We also use would with the question words, what, who, where, when, etc. in questions.
- What would you do in this situation?
- What would you do if you had 3000 dollars?
- Where would you live?
- Who would you invite to your new house?
- How would you spend your money?
Ready to Practice?
Click here to try an exercise about would for imaginary situations.
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We make use of the word ‘could’ to express ability or past possibility, whereas ‘would’ can be used to show willingness or when we imagine a situation.
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Comparison Chart.
Basis for Comparison | Could | Would |
---|---|---|
Examples | Maybe she could meet Piya when she go to Amsterdam. | I would meet you, but I was little busy. |
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29 oct. 2019
Also What are conditional and define it with examples?
The definition of a conditional is a grammar term that means a sentence structure that expresses a particular situation or circumstance and its consequences. An example of a conditional is a sentence telling someone that you will be mad at them if they are late.
Subsequently, Where we use could and would? Could is used to say that an action or event is possible. Would is used to talk about a possible or imagined situation, and is often used when that possible situation is not going to happen.
What is the difference between could and would? Could expresses possibility, while would expresses certainty and intent. A good way to remember the differences between these two words is simply to bring each word back to its root verb. Could is the past tense of can. Would is the past tense of will.
Related Contents
- 1 Could in a sentence example?
- 2 What do you mean by conditional mean?
- 3 What are the two types of conditional and explain each?
- 4 What are conditionals in English grammar?
- 5 Would and could in a sentence?
- 6 Where we use would?
- 7 Could or would you please?
- 8 Could you please vs Would you please?
- 9 When we can use would?
- 10 Could VS would in questions?
- 11 When to use the word could in a sentence?
- 12 Could or can in a sentence?
- 13 When Could is used?
- 14 What means conditional statement?
- 15 What is conditional mean and variance?
- 16 What are the two types of conditionals?
- 17 What are the two types of conditional clauses?
- 18 What is a Type 2 conditional?
- 19 What are the 3 types of conditional?
- 20 What are the types of conditional statements?
- 21 What are conditional statements?
Could in a sentence example?
Could sentence example. I had let so much gas out of my balloon that I could not rise again, and in a few minutes the earth closed over my head. The doctor thought I could not live. I could not help it.
What do you mean by conditional mean?
1 : subject to, implying, or dependent upon a condition a conditional promise. 2 : expressing, containing, or implying a supposition the conditional clause if he speaks. 3a : true only for certain values of the variables or symbols involved conditional equations.
What are the two types of conditional and explain each?
5 Types of Conditional Sentences
Conditional sentence type | When to use |
---|---|
Type 1 | A possible situation and the result |
Type 2 | A hypothetical condition and its possible result |
Type 3 | An impossible past situation and its result in the past |
Mixed Conditionals | An impossible past situation and its result in the present |
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26 août 2021
What are conditionals in English grammar?
What are conditionals in English grammar? Sometimes we call them ‘if clauses’. They describe the result of something that might happen (in the present or future) or might have happened but didn’t (in the past) . They are made using different English verb tenses.
Would and could in a sentence?
“Would” to Show Certainty
While “could” shows ability or possibility, “would” shows certainty in a past or hypothetical situation. If you think about “would” being the past tense of “will,” then it completely makes sense. For example: When I was younger, I would ride my bike home in 10 minutes.
Where we use would?
We use would as the past of will, to describe past beliefs about the future: I thought we would be late, so we would have to take the train.
Could or would you please?
But I would suppose that “would” is more polite, because it expresses the idea of probability, and of willingness, and of the desire that something be done, whereas “could” is more in the realm of ability (yes I can). And according to the American Heritage Dictionary, “would” is used to make a polite request.
Could you please vs Would you please?
But I would suppose that “would” is more polite, because it expresses the idea of probability, and of willingness, and of the desire that something be done, whereas “could” is more in the realm of ability (yes I can). And according to the American Heritage Dictionary, “would” is used to make a polite request.
When we can use would?
‘will’ and ‘would’
- We use will:
- would is the past tense form of will. …
- We use will to express beliefs about the present or future:
- We use would as the past of will, to describe past beliefs about the future:
- We use would as the past tense of will:
- We use I will or We will to make promises and offers:
Could VS would in questions?
When making general polite suggestions or asking a question, both could and can are possible (“Excuse me, can/could you tell me what time it is?”). … Would can also be used to ask polite questions (“Would you mind if I had another cup of tea?”), or to wish for something (“I wish she would write a book.”).
When to use the word could in a sentence?
In the sentence “We could have as many as ten people come to dinner tonight,” could is used to say that it is possible that ten people will come to the speaker’s home for dinner (“I think that it is possible we will have as many as ten people for dinner tonight.”).
Could or can in a sentence?
The modal verbs can and could represent the ability of a person or thing in doing something. However, there is a difference in their usage, as ‘can‘ is used in present situation, whereas we can use ‘could’ for talking about a past ability. Both are followed by a base form of the verb.
When Could is used?
“Could” is a modal verb used to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests. “Could” is also commonly used in conditional sentences as the conditional form of “can.” Examples: Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city.
What means conditional statement?
Definition. A conditional statement is a statement that can be written in the form “If P then Q,” where P and Q are sentences. For this conditional statement, P is called the hypothesis and Q is called the conclusion. Intuitively, “If P then Q” means that Q must be true whenever P is true.
What is conditional mean and variance?
In probability theory and statistics, a conditional variance is the variance of a random variable given the value(s) of one or more other variables. Particularly in econometrics, the conditional variance is also known as the scedastic function or skedastic function.
What are the two types of conditionals?
Conditional
Conditional sentence type | Usage | If clause verb tense |
---|---|---|
Zero | General truths | Simple present |
Type 1 | A possible condition and its probable result | Simple present |
Type 2 | A hypothetical condition and its probable result | Simple past |
Type 3 | An unreal past condition and its probable result in the past | Past perfect |
What are the two types of conditional clauses?
The 4 Types of Conditionals. Conditional sentences have two clauses: a condition (if…) and a result. The verb tenses used in each clause depends on whether the speaker thinks the result is probable (real) or only exists in the imagination (unreal).
What is a Type 2 conditional?
The type 2 conditional refers to an unlikely or hypothetical condition and its probable result. … In type 2 conditional sentences, the time is now or any time and the situation is hypothetical.
What are the 3 types of conditional?
Conditional
Conditional sentence type | Usage | If clause verb tense |
---|---|---|
Zero | General truths | Simple present |
Type 1 | A possible condition and its probable result | Simple present |
Type 2 | A hypothetical condition and its probable result | Simple past |
Type 3 | An unreal past condition and its probable result in the past | Past perfect |
What are the types of conditional statements?
Conditional Statements : if, else, switch
- If statement.
- If-Else statement.
- Nested If-else statement.
- If-Else If ladder.
- Switch statement.
What are conditional statements?
Conditional Statements
Use if to specify a block of code to be executed, if a specified condition is true. Use else to specify a block of code to be executed, if the same condition is false. Use else if to specify a new condition to test, if the first condition is false.
Magoosh has already done two posts on the use of “would” in conditionals. In this post, we’ll look at other uses of “would,” outside of conditional statements. “Would” is used in a lot of different ways, both on the TOEFL and in general English. Below, enjoy a complete grammar guide to using “would.”
A substitute for “used to”: “Used to” is a past tense expression that describes a habit that someone once had. In each of the two examples below, the first sentence uses “used to.” The second sentence in each example uses “would,” but otherwise the sentence is unchanged. Because “would” can replace “used to,” the meaning of the sentence doesn’t change.
Examples:
Before I had a child I used to stay up late at night. >>>>Before I had a child, I would stay up late at night.
When I lived in Hollywood, I used to take photos of the famous Hollywood sign and send them to my friends. >>>> When I lived in Hollywood, I would take photos of the famous Hollywood sign and send them to my friends.
Commenting on an action that just occurred, describing it as typical: This use of “would” has a negative connotation. It’s used to describe an event that is common and expected, but still disappointing. Have you ever felt like bad things always happen to you? Or felt like a friend or relative always does something that disappoints you? For these kinds of frustrating situations, you use “would.”
Examples:
It would rain during my weekend vacation at the beach. I always have such bad luck!
He would be 20 minutes late for the final exam. He is never on time for anything important.
Expressing a preference: This use of “would” helps people know what you want or don’t want. It can be used politely. As you will see from the third example below, it can also be used rudely.
Examples:
I would rather not buy a house. I would like to rent an apartment instead.
I would prefer not to drive to school. It’s a beautiful day, so I would enjoy walking there instead.
I would sooner starve than eat his terrible cooking.
Asking about a preference: In a question, “would” can also be used to ask someone else about what they want or prefer.
Examples:
How would you like to take a vacation in Southern France?
What would you like to drink, coffee or tea?
Gentle expression of disbelief about a possibility: This is similar to the use of “could” to politely disagree with a stated fact. The difference is that in this use of “would,” you are disagreeing with a statement of possibility, not a statement of fact. If someone says something may be possible, but you think they are wrong, use “would” to politely disagree with them.
Examples:
He wouldn’t do anything violent. He is a very gentle person.
You wouldn’t enjoy working at a factory; the work is very boring.
Politely requesting something: You can ask a question with “would” to politely request something. This is similar to requesting with a “could” sentence. However, when you use “would,” the tone is more polite and more formal than with “could.”
Example:
Would you reach up to the top shelf and get that book for me?
Politely stating desire: Here you are not necessarily requesting anything, but you are using “would” to tell someone that you want something.
Examples:
I would like do that.
I would love to come on the trip if you have room for one more person.
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David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT.
David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles, his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru.
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USING WILL OR WOULD IN A SENTENCE
WILL and WOULD are both modal verbs, although there is a big difference between the uses of these two words. It is important to understand when you can use them, and how to use these words correctly.
WILL is a definite statement, and is used to talk about a future action that one believes is going to take place.
WILL can be used to talk about beliefs (what we believe will happen in the future), decisions, statements or facts referring to the future, requests, offers (what people want to do or are willing to do), promises and likely predictions.
Here are some example sentences:
Beliefs:
- I will be late tonight.
- I will be tired when I finish working.
- I will go to work tomorrow.
Decisions:
- I will cycle to work tomorrow.
- I will cook fish and chips tonight.
- The phone is ringing, I’ll go and answer it.
Statements or Facts:
- It will be Tuesday tomorrow.
- Their train will leave at 9:30pm.
Offers and Promises:
- I will help you with your homework after dinner tonight.
- I will cook for you.
- I will clean my room tomorrow.
- I will hand in my project by the end of this week.
Requests:
- Will you stop crying please?
- Will you tell your mother that our guest has arrived please?
Likely Predictions:
- We’ll see you next week.
- Perhaps she’ll let me borrow her car.
- I will always love you.
We also use WILL as a conditional with words like IF and UNLESS to talk about the result or effect of certain situations that are not changeable, in other words, to say what we think will happen in the future.
Here are some examples:
- I will give her a call, if I can find her number.
- If you go out in the rain, you will get wet.
- Fiona will help you, if you ask her nicely.
Recommended for you:
The Difference Between SHALL and WILL
Difference Between GOING TO and WILL!
When to Use WILL or WOULD in a Sentence?
WOULD is the past tense form of WILL. It can be used in many different ways, such as to talk about preferences, invitations, requests, making arrangements, asking permission, the past, to talk about hypotheses (things that are imagined rather than true), or to sound more polite.
Here are some example sentences:
Preferences:
- I would prefer to talk to him alone.
- I would rather go to the museum than go shopping.
- Would you like to have pizza or pasta?
Invitations:
- Would you like to come to my birthday party?
- I would like to invite you to my wedding ceremony.
Requests:
- Would you be able to buy some milk on your way home, please?
Making arrangements:
- Would Tuesday at 9pm suit you?
- It would be better if I picked her up from school on my way back.
Asking for permission:
- Would it be okay if I spoke to Susan please?
- Would it be possible to have some time off work please?
To talk about the past:
- When I was a child, my father would tell me great stories about his adventures.
- I was awake all night last night, because the baby wouldn’t stop crying!
Hypotheses:
- If I was a millionaire, I would travel around the world in my private jet.
- If I had a lot of money, I would rid the world of poverty.
Politeness:
- Would you like something to drink?
- I would like to buy the purple dress please.
We use WOULD as the past tense of ‘will’ to say what we believed would happen:
- I thought I’d be late, so I called my boss to let her know.
Recommended for you:
Can vs Could vs Shall!
The difference between SHOULD and WOULD
Would vs Could vs Should vs Might in English!
The Difference between USED TO and WOULD
When WOULD is used in conditionals with words such as if and what if, the main verb in these sentences is usually in the past tense.
Here are some examples:
- If he found a better job, he would be so much happier.
- You would be healthier, if you did more exercise.
- If I had a lot of money, I would help build new schools in poor countries.
- What if I asked him for help, do you think he would help me?
- David would help you, if you asked him nicely.
- If I knew where she lived, I would visit her.
When both WILL and WOULD can be used, then WOULD is generally more polite. WOULD can be used in many different types of phrases, such as for making requests, offers and invitations, wishes, preferences, and giving opinions.
Here are some sentence examples:
- Will you help me carry these bags please?
- Would you help me carry these bags please?
- Will you speak quietly please?
- Would you mind speaking quietly please?
- Will you have dinner with me sometime?
- Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?
- Will you have some dessert?
- Would you like to have some dessert?
- I’ll have a glass of wine please.
- I would like to have a glass of wine please.
- I’ll buy both of them please.
- I’d like to buy both of them please.
- I’ll stay at home instead of going there for a holiday.
- I’d rather stay at home than go there for a holiday!
- I’ll have the other one please.
- I’d rather have the other one please.
WILL is generally not used instead of WOULD when you are giving your opinion but are unsure of the facts.
- I would think that’s the right answer.
- I would imagine it’s quite hard work.
- I would like to believe that she loves me too.
‘I WOULD say this explains the difference. I WILL leave this with you to read through, and WOULD hope that it is easy for you to understand!’
Recommended for you:
How can I use ‘would’ in a sentence?
Where to Use WOULD HAVE BEEN and What Tense is it?
Difference Between Rather Than, Would Rather,Had Rather
Polite Expressions in English: Words, Phrases and Questions
A Practical Guide to Using Diplomatic English in a Business …
The words “will” and “would” are related, leading some people to use them interchangeably. But these terms have different meanings and should be used in different contexts. So to help you avoid errors, in this post, we will look at how to use these words correctly in your writing.
What Do “Will” and “Would” Mean?
The word “will” has several meanings and can either be a noun or a verb. Here, though, we will focus on its use as a modal (or “helper”) verb.
This means we’re looking at how to use “will” alongside another verb, typically to discuss things in the future tense. It is also sometimes used in the present tense (but never the past tense).
“Would,” meanwhile, is often the past tense of “will.” But we can also use this word to form conditional sentences and to make polite requests.
To help you understand how these words are used – and when you should use “would” instead of “will” – we’ve prepared a quick guide to how these terms are used in different contexts, including:
- Expressing certainty about the future.
- Discussing intentions and willingness to act.
- Making offers, requests, and promises.
- Talking about habitual or typical behaviors.
- Forming conditionals and hypotheticals.
Read on below to find out more.
Expressing Certainty or Belief
We use “will” to communicate things we know, strongly believe, or predict about the present or future. For example:
The laundry will be dry now.
We will arrive in Paris at 9am.
Note how “will” differs from “could” or “might” here:
It will rain tomorrow.
It might rain tomorrow.
These both describe the same thing (i.e., the possibility of it raining). But when we use “will,” we are saying that we’re confident or certain about it.
To describe past beliefs about the future, meanwhile, we use “would”:
I thought the laundry would be dry by now.
We would have arrived at 9am, but our train was late.
Discussing Intentions and Willingness
We can use “will” and “would” to talk about what people want are willing to do. When we are discussing present or future intentions, we use “will”:
Mary says she will visit us today.
I will finish my homework tonight.
And we use “would” to talk about past intentions:
Mary said she would visit us today.
My dog would not stop barking.
Making Offers, Requests and Promises
We use “will” to make promises and offers:
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We will pick Sarah up from the airport.
I will bring you a coffee.
To make requests, we can use either “will you” or “would you”:
Will you come to the hospital with me?
Would you pass the salt, please?
“Would you” is considered more polite or formal when making a request.
Conditionals and Hypotheticals
We’ve already mentioned that “will” is used when discussing beliefs about the future. This also applies to conditional beliefs (i.e., that something “will” happen if certain conditions are met):
If the traffic is okay, we will be there by noon.
Unless he studies every day, he will fail the exam.
However, we only use “will” in conditionals when something seems likely. If the hypothetical outcome seems less likely or if we’re simply imagining a situation, we use “would” instead:
If no one ever won the lottery, people would stop buying tickets.
It would be sad if we had to leave this city.
Habitual or Typical Behaviors
Sometimes, we use “will” to refer to habitual or typical behaviors:
He will talk about his family for days given half the chance.
She will always turn the television on as soon as she gets home.
And we use “would” to discuss something that was done often in the past:
Before the Industrial Revolution, people would weave textiles by hand.
When I lived in New York, I would take the subway to work.
Summary: Will or Would?
“Would” is sometimes the past tense of the verb “will.” But these terms are not typically interchangeable. The key things to remember on this count are:
- As a verb, we can use will to discuss the future.
- Would is a past tense form of “will,” but we also use it for imaginary conditionals and polite requests.
An easy way to remember the difference between the two is that “will” is never used in the past tense, whereas “would” sometimes is.
Hopefully, it is now clear which word to use and when. But if you’d like someone to check your writing is error free, our proofreaders can help!