How to Use Will, Would and Might - English Modal Verbs Lesson

怎样使用Will、Would和Might — 英语情态动词课程

Hi, I’m Stephanie.

嗨，我是Stephanie。

Welcome to Oxford Online English!

欢迎来到Oxford Online English！

In this lesson, you can learn about will, might and would.

在本节课，您可以学到will、 might和would。

Do you know the difference between will and would?

您知道will与would 之间的区别吗？

What about the difference between might and would?

那might与would 之间的区别呢？

In this lesson, you’ll learn what these modal verbs mean, and how to use them correctly.

在本节课里，您会学到这些情态动词意思 是什么，以及怎样正确地使用它们。

One point: when we say might, we also mean may.

一个重点：当我们说might， 我们意思也是may。

Might and may are used in the same way, so almost everything you hear about might is

Might和may以相同的方式使用，所以， 几乎您听到的与might有关的

also true about may.

每一件事情都适用于may。

In the few cases where might and may are used differently, we’ll make it clear.

在might和may使用不同的极少 事例里，我们会厘清它。

Let’s start by looking at the difference between will and might.

我们从看will与might之间 的区别开始。

Look at a pair of sentences:

看一对句子：

I’ll go to a yoga class tonight.

I’ll go to a yoga class tonight.

I might go to a yoga class tonight.

I might go to a yoga class tonight.

What’s the difference?

区别是什么？

The first sentence, with will, expresses certainty.

有will的第一句，表达确定性。

You’re 100% sure about your plans.

您是100%确定您的计划。

The second sentence, with might, expresses possibility.

有might的第二句， 表达可能性。

You’re not 100% sure about your plans.

您不是100%确定您的计划。

It’s possible that you’ll go to a yoga class, but it’s also possible that you’ll

您可能会去上瑜伽课程，但是， 您也有可能去做其他

do something else.

某些事情。

That’s the difference between will and might.

那就是will与might之间的区别。

Both modal verbs are used to talk about the future.

两个情态动词用于谈论 未来的事情。

Will expresses certainty about the future, while might expresses possibility, which in

Will表达有关未来的确定性，同时， might表达可能性，在某种

a way is the opposite of certainty; possibility means that you’re not certain about something.

程度上，是与确定性相反的；可能性 意味着您不确定某些事情。

Think about the negative forms:

考虑否定形式：

I won’t go to a yoga class tonight.

I won’t go to a yoga class tonight.

I might not go to a yoga class tonight.

I might not go to a yoga class tonight.

Can you see the difference here?

您可以看到在这里的区别吗？

The answer is the same: using will or won’t shows that you’re 100% sure about what will

答案是一样的：使用will或won’t 表明您是100%确定会

happen.

发生的事情。

Using might or might not shows that you aren’t 100% sure about what will happen.

使用might或者might not表明您不是 100%确定会发生的事情。

Let’s see some more examples of this:

我们来再看一些这个的例子：

It will be hot next week.

It will be hot next week.

You’re sure about this.

您确定这个。

It might be hot next week.

It might be hot next week.

It’s possible that it’ll be hot, but you aren’t sure.

有可能是会很热，但是， 您是不确定的。

He won’t come unless you tell him several weeks beforehand.

He won’t come unless you tell him several weeks beforehand.

You’re sure about this.

您确定这个。

He might not come unless you tell him several weeks beforehand.

He might not come unless you tell him several weeks beforehand.

It’s possible that he won’t come in this case, but you aren’t sure.

在这件事他不会来是有 可能的，但是您不确定。

Next, let’s think about the difference between will and would.

接下来，我们来考虑will与 would之间的区别。

When you say,

当您说：

It will be hot next week.

It will be hot next week.

Or: It might be hot next week.

或者：It might be hot next week.

…you’re talking about the real future.

…您在谈论真实的未来。

You think it’s possible that it will be hot next week.

您认为下周会很热是有可能的。

Even if you’re not sure, it’s still a real possibility.

即使您是不确定的，那仍然是 一个真实的可能性。

What do you mean, ‘real future’?

“real future”您的意思是什么？

Is there another kind?

还有另一种吗？

Glad you asked!

很高兴您问这个！

Yes, there is.

是的，有。

In English, you can also talk about the imaginary future.

在英语里，您也可以 谈论假想的未来。

Let’s see how:

我们看看是怎样的：

If I could go anywhere, I’d go to Nepal.

If I could go anywhere, I’d go to Nepal.

Who would you choose if it was up to you?

Who would you choose if it was up to you?

I’d never speak to you again if you told her.

I’d never speak to you again if you told her.

Look at these examples.

看看这些例子。

Do you know what ‘imaginary future’ means?

您知道“imaginary future”是什么意思吗？

It means you’re imagining something in the future, but you don’t think it will actually

它意思是您在假想某些未来的事情， 但是，你不认为那会在

happen in reality.

真实世界里实际发生。

If I could go anywhere, I’d go to Nepal.

If I could go anywhere, I’d go to Nepal.

I can’t go anywhere, so I won’t go to Nepal.

哪里我都不能去，所以， 我不会去尼泊尔。

I’m just imagining it.

我只是在假想它。

Who would you choose if it was up to you?

Who would you choose if it was up to you?

It’s not up to you, so you can’t choose.

那不取决于您，所以您不能选择。

I’m just asking you to imagine that it’s your decision.

我只是请您去假想 那是您的决定。

I’d never speak to you again if you told her.

I’d never speak to you again if you told her.

I don’t think you will tell her, so I don’t think it’s realistic that I’ll never speak

我不认为您会告诉她，所以，我不 认为我会再也不和您讲话了

to you again.

那是现实的。

Of course, I could be wrong…

当然，我可能错了…

So, when you use will, you’re talking about the real future.

所以，当您使用will，您在 谈论真实的未来。

You’re certain about something that is a real possibility.

对是一个真实的可能性的 某些事情，您是确定的。

When you use would, you’re also certain, but about the imaginary future.

当您使用would，您也确定， 但是，是关于假想的未来的。

You’re imagining a future, and you’re sure about what would happen in that imaginary

您在假想一个未来，您确定 在假想的那个未来

future…

什么会发生…

…but, you don’t think that imaginary future will ever actually become reality.

…但是，您不认为那个假想的未来 会实际上成为现实。

Ok, now we’d like you to think about something.

好，现在我们想让您考虑某些事情。

Look at three sentences:

看三个句子：

Even if you ask, I won’t help you.

Even if you ask, I won’t help you.

Even if you asked, I wouldn’t help you.

Even if you asked, I wouldn’t help you.

If you asked, I would help you.

If you asked, I would help you.

A question: which of these sentences means that I will help you in the future?

一个问题：这些句子里的哪 一个意思是我今后会帮助您？

Think about it.

考虑那个。

Actually, that was a trick question.

实际上，那是一个技巧问题。

All three sentences mean that I won’t help you in the real future.

所有三个句子意思是我在真实的 未来不会帮助您。

Did you get it right?

您理解对了吗？

In our experience, many students get this question wrong.

依我们的经验，很多学生理解 错这个问题。

Either way, let’s explain the answer.

不论怎样，我们来解释答案。

Even if you ask, I won’t help you.

Even if you ask, I won’t help you.

This one is hopefully obvious.

这一点希望是显而易见的。

If you say, I won’t, you’re talking about the real future.

如果您说“I won’t”，您在 谈论真实的未来。

Even if you ask—in reality—I won’t help you—in reality.

Even if you ask—是真实的—I won’t help you—是真实的。

Even if you asked, I wouldn’t help you.

Even if you asked, I wouldn’t help you.

What’s the difference between this and the first sentence?

这句和第一句有什么区别？

The only difference is that I don’t think you’ll ask me to help you.

唯一的区别是我不认为 您会请我去帮您。

You won’t ask me to help you, so I won’t help you.

您不会请我去帮您，所以， 我不会帮您。

But, even if you asked, I still wouldn’t help you.

但是，即使您请我去帮您， 我仍然不会帮您。

Nice of me, right?

我真好，是吗？

If you asked, I would help you.

If you asked, I would help you.

This is the sentence that can cause problems.

这是会出问题的句子。

Can you explain why this means that I won’t help you, in reality, in the future?

您可以解释为什么这句意思是我 不会在现实里、在未来帮您吗？

This sentence is about the imaginary future.

这句是与假想的未来相关的。

Using would means that you don’t think this situation will happen.

使用would意思是您不 认为这种情形会发生。

If you asked, I would help you, but I don’t think you will ask, so I don’t think I will

如果您问I would help you， 但是， 我不认为您会问，所以，

help you.

我不认为我会帮您。

This is an important point, and it can cause misunderstandings—we’ve seen it happen

这是一个很重要的要点，它能 产生误解 — 我们看到

many times!

发生过很多次。

Let’s look at this in more detail.

我们来看这个的更多细节。

Look at two sentences:

看两个句子：

She won’t agree.

She won’t agree.

She would agree.

She would agree.

What’s the difference between them?

它们之间的区别是什么？

Hopefully, now you can answer that question.

希望您现在可以回答这个问题。

The most important point is that in both sentences, you mean that she won’t agree in reality.

最重要的要点是在这两句里，您 意思是她在现实中不会同意。

In the first sentence, that’s all you’re saying; you’re saying that she won’t agree

在首句，那就是所有您要说的； 您要说她在未来不会同意，

in the future, and you’re sure about that.

您确定那个。

In the second sentence, you’re talking about an imaginary future situation which exists

在第二句，您在谈论一个存在于 您的脑海里的假想的

in your head.

未来情形。

You’re not talking about what you think will happen in reality, so the basic meaning

您没有要谈论您认为在现实中会 发生什么，所以，基本意思是

is similar: she won’t agree in reality.

相似的：她在现实中不会同意。

Urgh—so abstract!

呃 — 太抽象了！

Why are we making you think about this?

为什么我们会让您考虑这个？

If you don’t understand this, you can very easily misunderstand quite important points

如果您不理解这个，当您在用英语 与某人交谈时，您可能会

when you’re speaking to someone in English.

很容易误解十分重要的要点。

For example, imagine you invite someone to your birthday dinner.

例如，假想您邀请某人去 参加您的生日晚餐。

The other person says:

另一个人说：

Well, I would come…

Well, I would come…

You think, ‘Great!

您认为“Great!

This person’s coming!’

This person’s coming!”

You walk away and continue making your birthday plans.

您走开，继续做 您的生日计划。

Except, as you hopefully understood, they’re not coming.

除了，正如您希望理解的 那样，他们不会来。

They left part of their sentence unsaid.

他们留住句子的部分，没有说。

The full sentence might be something like:

整句可能是某些像是：

I would come if I wasn’t so busy.

I would come if I wasn’t so busy.

I would come if I was free.

I would come if I was free.

I would come, but I don’t want to spend any money on buying you a present.

I would come, but I don’t want to spend any money on buying you a present.

You don’t know.

您不知道。

The point is: the other person won’t come to your birthday dinner in reality.

重点是：在现实里，那个人不会 出席您的生日晚餐。

And, reality is probably more important to you, right?

现实对您来说是更 重要的，对吗？

Of course, this wouldn’t be a problem if everybody was direct and said exactly what

当然，如果每个人是很直接的， 准确地讲出他们是什么意思，

they meant, but in the real world, people are often indirect, and they don’t say exactly

这不是问题，但是，在现实生活里， 人们经常是不直接的，他们不会

what they mean.

准确地说出他们的意思是什么。

Also, people usually speak with contractions: I’ll, I’d, she’ll, she’d, etc.

同样，人们通常讲缩略词： I’ll, I’d, she’ll, she’d，等等。

It can be hard to hear the difference, but the meaning can be totally opposite.

那可能很难去听出区别，但是， 意思可以是完全相反的。

If you’re listening, and you’re not sure if someone said I’ll or I’d, here’s

如果您在听，您不确定 某人是说I’ll或是I’d，这里

our advice: ask!

是我们的建议：问！

It’s important, because you could completely misunderstand the situation.

那是重要的，因为您可能 完全误解状况。

We’ve talked a lot about will and would here, but what about might?

在这里，我们谈了很多与will和 would相关的，但是，might呢？

Can you use might to talk about the imaginary future?

您可以用might来谈论 假想的未来吗？

You can use might to talk about the real future or the imaginary future.

您能使用might来谈论真实的 未来或者假想的未来。

Look at three sentences:

看三个句子：

It might snow next week.

It might snow next week.

He might have a different suggestion.

He might have a different suggestion.

Taking the bus might not be the best way to get there.

Taking the bus might not be the best way to get there.

Are these sentences about the real future, or not?

这些句子是与真实的 未来有关吗？

Is it possible that it will snow next week, or not?

有可能下周会下雪吗？

These sentences are about the real future.

这些句子是与真实的未来有关。

They all describe real future possibilities that you aren’t 100% sure about.

它们所有描述您不是100%确定的 真实未来的可能性。

In a simple sentence like this, might is always about real future possibilities.

在像这样的简单句子里，might总是与 真实未来的可能性相关。

However, you can also use might to talk about the imaginary future, too.

然而，您也可以使用might来 谈论假想的未来。

Do you know how?

您知道是怎样吗？

Here are some examples:

这里是一些例子：

If I had more energy, I might join you.

If I had more energy, I might join you.

He might not pay you back if you lent him the money.

He might not pay you back if you lent him the money.

Can you see the difference?

您可以看到区别吗？

You can use might to talk about the imaginary future only in a sentence with if.

您只在有if的句子里可以使用 might来谈论假想的未来。

You also need to use a past tense verb after if.

您也需要在if后面使用一个过去时态。

Think about something: what do these sentences mean?

考虑一些事情：这些句子 意思是什么？

The first sentence means that I don’t have more energy, so I won’t join you, but I’m

第一句意思是我没有足够的力气了， 所以，我不会加入你们，但是，

imagining a future in which I have more energy, and even in that imaginary future, I’m not

我假想假使在将来我有更多力气， 即使在那个假想的将来，我也

100% sure I would join you.

不是100%确定我会加入你们。

Clearly, whatever you’re inviting me to isn’t very exciting.

很清楚，无论您邀请我去做 什么，都不会令人很兴奋。

He might not pay you back if you lent him the money.

He might not pay you back if you lent him the money.

I don’t think you’ll actually lend him the money in reality, but I’m imagining

我不认为在现实里您实际上 会借给他钱，但是，我假想一个

a future where you do lend him the money, and in that imaginary future, I’m not 100%

您借给他钱的未来，在那个 假想的未来里，我不是100%

sure whether he would pay you back or not.

确定他是否会还给你钱。

Finally, this is one case where might and may are different.

最后，这是一个might和 may不同的事例。

You can’t use may in these sentences to talk about the imaginary future.

您不能在这些句子里使用may 去谈论假想的未来。

Only might is possible.

只有might是可能的。

Up to now, you’ve seen how to use will, might and would to talk about the future.

直到现在，您看到了怎样使用will、 might和would来谈论未来。

But, what about the past?

但是，关于过去呢？

First of all, you can’t generally use will to talk about the past.

首先，您一般不能使用will 去谈论过去。

There are one or two cases where you can, but it’s rare.

有一到两个例子，，您可以， 但是，那是极少的。

Generally, will is about the future, or sometimes the present.

一般来说，will是与未来或现在的 某个时刻相关的。

You can use would or might to talk about imaginary past situations.

您可以使用would或might来谈论 假想的过去的情形。

What does ‘imaginary past’ mean?

“imaginary past”意思是什么？

Like the imaginary future, it means you imagine a past which didn’t happen.

就像假想的未来，那意思是您假想 一个没发生过的过去。

For example, let’s say that you studied history at university.

例如。我们说您曾在大学 学习历史。

You want to imagine a past where you studied medicine instead.

您想要假想一个您学过 医学的过去。

You might say something like:

您或许会说某些像是：

If I’d studied medicine, I would have become a doctor.

If I’d studied medicine, I would have become a doctor.

I might have been more interested in my studies if I’d studied medicine.

I might have been more interested in my studies if I’d studied medicine.

In these cases, you’re imagining a different past.

在这些事例里，您在假想 一个不同的过去。

You didn’t study medicine; you studied history.

您没学过医学，您学过历史。

But, what if you had studied medicine?

但是，如果您学过医学呢？

Imagine it; that’s the situation these sentences are describing.

假想它，那就是这些句子 在描述的情形。

A question: what do you need to add after would or might to make the meaning past?

一个问题：在would或者might后面您 要加什么来造过去式的意思？

You need to add have and a past participle verb.

您要加have和一个动词的 过去分词。

Also, when talking about the imaginary past, you almost always use an if-sentence.

同样，当您在谈论假想的过去， 您几乎总是使用一个if句子。

Let’s see some more examples:

我们来看更多例子：

I would have bought you a present if I’d known it was your birthday!

I would have bought you a present if I’d known it was your birthday!

If I had missed the train, we might never have met!

If I had missed the train, we might never have met!

Next question: can you explain what these sentences mean?

下一个问题：您可以解释 这些句子意思是什么吗？

Let’s look together.

我们一起来看一下。

The first sentence is imagining a different past.

第一个句子是在假想 一个不同的过去。

In reality, I didn’t know it was your birthday, and I didn’t buy you a present.

在现实里，我不知道那是您的生日， 我没有买一个礼物给您。

But, I’m imagining a different past, where I knew it was your birthday.

但是，我在假想一个不同的过去， 我知道那是您的生日。

In that imaginary past, I’m 100% sure I would have bought you a present.

在那个假想的过去，我100%确定 会买给您一个礼物。

The second sentence is also imagining a different past.

第二句也是在假想一个不同的过去。

In reality, I didn’t miss the train, so we did meet.

在现实里，我没有错过火车， 所以，我们相遇了。

However, in my imaginary past, I missed the train.

然而，在我假想的过去， 我错过了火车。

In this imaginary situation, I’m not 100% sure whether we would have met or not.

在这个假想的情形里，我不是 100%确定是否我们会相遇。

Maybe we would have met somewhere else, or on another day, but maybe not.

或许我们会在其他某个地方，或在 某一天相遇，但是，或许没有相遇。

You can see that these sentences contain a lot of information!

您可以看到这些句子包含 有大量的信息！

However, you only really need to think about two (or maybe three) things:

然而，您仅仅真的需要考虑 两件（或者三件）事情：

One: are you 100% sure or not 100% sure?

一：您是100%确定，或者 不是100%确定？

If you’re 100% sure, use will or would.

如果您100%确定，使用 will或者would。

If not, use might.

如果没有，使用might。

Two: are you talking about real life, or an imaginary situation?

二：您在谈论一个真实的生活， 或是一个假想的情形？

If you’re talking about real life, use will or might.

如果您在谈论真实的生活，使用 will或might。

If you’re talking about an imaginary situation, use would or might.

如果您在谈论一个假想的情形， 使用would或者might。

The final thing: you need to think about whether you’re talking about the future or the past.

最后一件事情：您要考虑您是在 谈论未来或是过去。

However, this doesn’t change which verb you should use; it just changes how you should

然而，这不会改变您应当使用的 动词；那只会改变您要

use them.

怎样使用它们。

You can practice this topic more with a quiz on our website: Oxford Online English dot

在我们的网站上，您可以用一个 随堂小测验练习这个主题更多：

com.

Oxford Online English dot com.

Check the link in the video description!

看下视屏描述里的链接！

See you next time!

下次见！

Thanks for watching!

感谢观看！