Would: what tense and when is it used? Will & Would: What is the difference?

Students use sentences with would at all levels of learning English. Would may have a translation or not, it appears in several important grammatical constructions, and still the question often arises when and why would is used. In this article, you will find all the answers you need.

Would is a modal verb and is used with other main verbs in the infinitive without the particle to. Being a modal verb, would does not require auxiliary verbs to form questions or negatives.

Would has a short form — ’d, and the negative form would not is contracted as wouldn’t.

So, let’s take a look at the main cases of using would in English.

1. Polite requests, invitations, offers

Firstly, students learn to use would in requests and offers.

Would you like to go for a walk? (offer)
I would like a cup of coffee, please. (request)

Would like is often used instead of the more “demanding” or even “rude” verb want.

Would you help me with this? (request)

A commonly used construction “Would you mind…?” also belongs to the category of polite requests and offers.

Would you mind closing the window? (Would you mind if I closed the window?)

2. Reported speech

Here, we should first define the difference between will and would. Both verbs are used in the same context, translated as “will,” but still, they are different. And here’s why.

Would is the past tense form of will. When we use reported speech, we must remember that sometimes we need to follow the rules of the sequence of tenses. For example:

She said she would call me later. (Would is the past form of will).

If the verb in the main clause were in the present tense, we would say will call in the subordinate clause. Since the main clause verb is in the past (said), we must follow the sequence of tenses and use would instead of will. So, in English, we choose will or would depending on the verb tense in the main clause:

She says she will call me later. (says – Present Simple)
She said she would call me later. (said – Past Simple)

3. Conditional sentences

Would is used in the main clause in type II and type III conditionals, where we express imaginary, unreal, or hypothetical situations.

Second Conditional – unlikely situations:

If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
Third Conditional – about what could have happened in the past, but didn’t:

If she had studied, she would have passed the exam.

In addition, would is used in mixed conditional sentences:

If he hadn’t called me, I would not be here now.
If I were more assertive, I would have accepted that job offer.
NOTE! Would is never used in the conditional clause (the one starting with if / unless, etc.).

4. Would **to express past habits (*Would = used to***)

Actions that were regular in the past but are no longer relevant are usually expressed with used to:

I used to play tennis when I was at school. (I don’t play tennis anymore.)

In such cases, would can also be used to describe past habits:

I would play tennis when I was at school.

NOTE! Would expressing a habit in the past is only used with action verbs (not state verbs):

He used to be very shy.

5. The construction would have for expressing unrealized actions

This rule belongs to the grammar rules of Conditionals. Compare:

I would have called you, but I lost my phone.
I would have called you if I hadn’t lost my phone.

Remember that would, as well as will, can, could, or other modal verbs, require the infinitive after it. To talk about the past, we use the Perfect infinitive (have + V3).

6. Should, would, or ***could*? What’s the difference and which one to use?**

Would is used to express conditional actions, polite forms (often translated as “would”), or past habits:

I would go if I had time.
Would you help me with this?
When we were kids, we would play outside all day.

Could is used to express ability, possibility, or polite requests:

She could speak French when she was five.
We could go to the beach tomorrow.
Could you help me?

In some cases, both could and would are possible with little difference in meaning:

Would you help me with this?
Could you help me?

But sometimes the difference is significant:

She would play tennis when she studied at school. (She used to play — habit.)
She could play tennis when she studied at school. (She had the ability.)

Should is used for advice and expectations, translated as should / ought to:

You should study for the test.
The train should arrive at 6 p.m.
If you have her number, you should call her.

7. Talking about preferences with would rather / would sooner

When we want to express preferences, we use I’d rather / I’d sooner:

I would rather stay home tonight.
He would sooner find another job than talk to his manager.

8. Wish + would

In English, we often face sentences where wish is used with would. In such cases, would expresses a polite request or desire about someone else’s behavior:

I wish you would stop laughing. = Please, stop laughing.
I wish she would not mock people.

NOTE: wish somebody would is only used for other people’s behavior, not your own.

So, we have mentioned the most common cases of using would in English. Practice English as often as possible, applying this knowledge, and let your English be diverse and professional.

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