How to use would in English sentences

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WOULD

Would is a modal auxiliary, which is the will loan. It allows you to express a hypothesis.

The contracted form of would is ‘d, and the contracted form of would not is wouldn’t.

⚠ Be careful not to confuse the ‘d of would with that of had!

Here are the different uses of Would in English:

1 – Express the conditional with Would

We would use to imagine something that is not real:

I’d like to go to Paris.
I would not (= wouldn’t) want to go by bus.
They would buy this car if they had enough money.

2 – Make a prediction

Would is often used with if + preterite, to evoke a possible hypothesis:

I would do it if you asked me.
We would live in Osaka if we were Japanese.
I would be happy if she came.

3 – To be polite

We use would to speak politely (it’s less direct than saying “I want”):

I’d like some information about this car.
I’d like to see the menu, please.

Would is often used in questioning form to ask or propose something politely:

Would you help me, please?
Would you like some tea?
How would you describe him?

4 – Express the refusal with would

In the negative form, would express the refusal:

I asked him to come, but he wouldn’t.
He wouldn’t listen to me.
The computer wouldn’t start.

5 – Express an indirect speech

Paul said that he would arrive late.

6 – Indicate a past habit with Would

We can use would to talk about things that used to happen regularly in the past, about old habits:

When I was a child I would walk to school every day.
She would practise two hours a day.

⚠ We can replace would by used to in this type of sentence:

She would practise two hours a day. = She used to practise two hours a day.

7 – Would have + Past participle

This formula is used to imagine possible or impossible hypotheses in the past:

We would have preferred to eat pizzas.
He wouldn’t have accepted.
I would have done it if I had known.

Compare the following sentences:

I would like to leave quickly.
I would have liked to leave quickly.

8 – Would Rather

The formula I’d rather (= I would rather) means ‘I like (I would like) better’, ‘I prefer’ (I would prefer).

I’d rather stay here.
I’d rather not go out tonight.

There is another possible construction:

I’d rather you stayed here.
I’d rather he didn’t know.

You can also add ‘than’ to compare:

I’d rather stay at home tomnight than go to the cinema.

⚠ Be careful not to confuse the construction of I’d rather with I’d prefer:

I’d rather go there by bus ≠ I’d prefer to go there by bus.

Tags: Grammar