'will' & 'would' | Future simple tense, Reported speech, Conditionals | English Grammar Lesson

Hello and welcome everyone, this is Minoo at Anglo-Link.

I often get asked about the difference between 'will' and 'would'.

So, in this lesson, we're going to compare the usage of 'will' and 'would' in different contexts.

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Now, let's begin our lesson by looking at the five common uses of 'will'.

The first use of 'will' is for future possibility. For example:

Perhaps we will meet again.

Make sure when you speak that you use the contraction:

Perhaps we'll meet again.

The second use of 'will' is for future prediction. For example:

I think she'll be pleased with the results.

The third use of 'will' is for making an instant decision, usually in a dialogue.

For example, someone says: I'm too tired to cook tonight. Don't worry! I'll put something together.

Notice that again the contraction is the most appropriate in a conversation.

The fourth use of 'will' is for promising. For example:

I assure you this will never happen again.

In this situation, we usually use the full form because we want to stress.

This will never happen again. Or: I will never do this again.

For these four functions 'would' never replaces 'will'.

Except in the reported or indirect speech. For example, we would say:

He reassured me that that would never happen again.

And the fifth use of 'will' is for making a request.

For example: Will you open the window please?

Notice that this is an informal request.

In this case, you can use 'would' instead of 'will' to make it a more formal request.

Would you open the window please?

So, that's the first use of 'would'.

Now, let's look at the second use of 'would'.

It's again in the context of politeness.

For example, instead of saying: I want.

Like: I want a glass of water.

You should say: I'd like or even I'd love a glass of water.

Instead of I recommend, you could say: I'd recommend.

Or instead of I prefer, you could say: I'd prefer or even I'd rather.

Make sure you use the contraction when you speak.

And the third use of 'would' is an alternative to the expression 'used to'

for habits and repetitive actions in the past.

For example, you can say: When I was growing up we would go to Spain every summer.

That means we used to go to Spain every summer.

Now, make sure you don't use 'would' for a fact in the past.

For example, don't say: When I was growing up we would live in a flat.

In this situation, you can only use 'used to'.

When I was growing up we used to live in a flat.

Right! Let's now look at 'will' and 'would' in conditional sentences.

This is where things can start to get a little confusing.

In conditional 1 we use 'will'. For example: If I have time tonight, I will finish my assignment.

There is a high probability that you will have time.

Now, in conditional 2 sentences, where the situation is hypothetical, we use 'would':

If I had time tonight, I would finish my assignment.

This means that you have a low probability to have time tonight.

We also use 'would' in the third conditional, which is the impossible conditional.

If I had had time last night, I would have finished my assignment.

So let's look at a couple of common mistakes that happen with these conditional sentences.

The first one is starting with a conditional 1 if clause,

and then using 'would' in the consequence clause.

For example, saying: If I have time tonight, I would finish my assignment.

Because you're mixing the two conditionals, your listener will be confused.

Is it likely that you will have time tonight or is it unlikely?

So, if you say: If I have time tonight, which means it is likely  it is probable that you will have time tonight,

make sure you will finish with 'will'.

I will finish my assignment.

The second mistake is to use 'will' or 'would' in the 'if clause'.

After 'if'.

For example, saying: If I will have time tonight, I will finish my assignment.

Make sure you don't use 'will' in the first part.

Or, you may make  the mistake of saying: If I would have time tonight, I would finish my assignment.

Again, do not use 'would' after 'if'.

The correct second conditional sentence is: If I had time tonight, I would finish my assignment.

But, as always, there is one exception.

And that is if you want to be polite when you're using a conditional 1 sentence.

For example, you can say to someone who's visiting you:

If you would like to take a seat, I'll let my colleague know you're here.

Or, you can say: If you'll follow me please, I'll show you around the premises.

Right! That brings us to the end of this lesson.

For more practice with 'will' and 'would', you can watch this lesson.

And remember to check out my complete online course at Anglo-Link.com.

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Thanks a lot for watching, and I'll see you soon in my next lesson.

Goodbye for now.