How to Use Would in English - English Modal Verbs

英文文法 — 情態助動詞 would

Hi, I'm Mike.

嗨，我是Mike。歡迎來到Oxford Online English。 在本節課裡，您可以學到

Welcome to Oxford Online English.

In this lesson, you can learn about the modal verb 'would' in English.

英文情態助動詞“would“。您想學更多與 ”would“有關的東西，以及它是什麼意思嗎？

Would you like to learn more about 'would' and what it means?

If I asked you to tell me all the meanings and uses of 'would' right now would you be

如果我請您現在告訴我”would“ 所有的詞義和用法，

able to?

您可以嗎？像所有情態助動詞那樣，”would“ 可以有很多不同的詞義。這些

Like all modal verbs, 'would' can have many different meanings.

These different meanings aren't connected to each other, which can make it difficult

不同的詞義不會互相關聯，在不同的 句子或情形裡找出”would“

to work out what 'would' means in different sentences or situations.

是什麼意思會很難。在本節課裡， 您會看到”would“的所有

In this class, you'll see all the uses of 'would' and meanings.

用法和詞義。我們從”would“ 最重要的用法開始。

Let's start with the most important use of 'would'.

Imagine your friend asks you:

想像一下您的朋友問您：

What would you do if you were attacked by a shark?

如果您被一條鯊魚攻擊了， 您會怎麼做？

Why does your friend use would in this question?

為什麼您的朋友在這個問題裡使用 ”would“？您要怎麼回答呢？

And how should you answer?

Probably, your answer would also include would.

有可能，您的回答也會包含”would“。 也許像是這樣：

Maybe something like:

I’d probably try to hit it on the nose, or poke it in the eye, or something like that.

I’d probably try to hit it on the nose, or poke it in the eye, or something like that.

Maybe I’d just try to swim away.

Maybe I’d just try to swim away.

So, any ideas?

那麼，有任何觀點嗎？為什麼我們 在這裡使用”would“？

Why do we use would here?

It’s because getting attacked by a shark is very unlikely.

那是因為被一條鯊魚攻擊是不 太可能的。在我們談論那些不太

We use would when we talk about things which are either very unlikely, or totally impossible.

可能的、或完全不可能的 事情時，我們使用“would”。

For example:

例如：

What would you do if you could read people’s thoughts?

What would you do if you could read people’s thoughts?

Reading people’s thoughts is impossible, so we use would.

閱讀人們的想法是不可能的， 所以我們使用“would”。那是

It’s a question about an imaginary situation.

一個關於假想情形的問題。

I would help you if I could.

I would help you if I could.

I can’t help you, so I use would to show that it’s impossible.

我不能幫您，所以我使用“would”來 表明那是不可能的。這像是在說，

This is like saying, “I can’t help you.”

“I can’t help you.”

She would be here, but he has too much work at the moment.

She would be here, but he has too much work at the moment.

She’s not here, although she would be if she didn’t have so much work.

She’s not here, although she would be if she didn’t have so much work.

In all of these cases, when you use would, you’re talking about a situation which isn’t

在所有這些事例裡，在您使用“would” 時，您在談論一個不是真實的

true, and which you think will never happen.

情形，並且您認為永遠不會發生。

That’s what it means when you use would like this.

在您像這樣使用“would”時，那就是它的意思。 您在說：“I think this

You’re saying, “I think this thing will never happen.”

thing will never happen.”

If I won the lottery, I would…

If I won the lottery, I would…

You say would because you don’t think you’ll ever win the lottery.

您說“would”，因為您不認為 您甚至會贏得樂透。

You can use would have plus a past participle to talk about the past in the same way.

您可以使用“would have”+一個過去分詞 來用同一種方式談論過去。

For example:

例如：

What would you have said if she’d seen you?

What would you have said if she’d seen you? 她沒看到您，所以您沒和她說

She didn’t see you, so you didn’t say anything to her.

任何東西。我在問您一個與假想的 情形有關的問題。我是在說：

I’m asking you a question about an imaginary situation.

I’m saying, “Imagine a different version of the past, where she did see you…”

“Imagine a different version of the past, where she did see you…”

I wouldn’t have come if I’d known it was going to go on so late.

I wouldn’t have come if I’d known it was going to go on so late.

I didn’t know it was going to go on so late, so I did come, but now I regret it!

我不知道那會是太晚了，所以我 去了，但是現在我後悔了！想像

Imagine you’re at an event and you have to get up early tomorrow.

您在參加一個活動，您明天不得 不早起。活動比您預期的

The event goes on much later than you expected, so you say this.

要晚得多，所以您這麼說。

He wouldn’t have been much help, anyway.

He wouldn’t have been much help, anyway.

He wasn’t there, so he couldn’t help, but even if he had been there, he wouldn’t

他不在這，所以他不能幫忙， 但是，即使他在那，

have been able to help us.

他也不會幫到我們。

This is the most common way to use would, and probably the most complicated.

這是一個最常見的使用“would”的方式， 也有可能是最複雜的。然而，

However, would has many other uses.

會有很多其他用法。

Let’s look!

我們來看看！

If you want to ask someone to do something for you, using would in your request can make

如果您想請某人為您做某事，在 您的請求裡使用“would”

it sound more polite.

會聽起來更有禮貌。

For example:

例如：

Can you tell me the time?

Can you tell me the time? Will you get me a sandwich?

Will you get me a sandwich?

I want something to eat.

I want something to eat.

All of these requests are quite informal.

所有這些請求都是很不正式的。 取決於情形，那是可以的，

That can be fine, depending on the situation, but sometimes you want to be a bit more formal,

但是，有時候，您想要更正式一點， 那麼您聽起來是有禮貌的。

so that you sound polite.

Would can be useful here.

“Would”在這裡是有用的。看些句子。 您可以看到怎麼使用“would”嗎？

Look at the sentences.

Can you see how to use would?

Okay, let’s check your ideas:

好，我們來看看您的觀點：

Would you mind telling me the time?

Would you mind telling me the time? Would you get me a sandwich?

Would you get me a sandwich?

I’d like something to eat.

I’d like something to eat.

Using would you mind + -ing is a very polite way to make a request.

使用would you mind + -ing是 提出請求的很有禮貌的方式。

You can also use would in place of will in a request.

您也能使用“would”在請求裡代替 “will”。這會更正式一點以及

This makes it a little more formal and polite.

更有禮貌。

Finally, using would like instead of want is better, unless you’re in a very informal

最後，使用“would like”取代“want” 會更好，除非您是在一個

situation.

很不正式的場景之下。

To be clear, these aren’t the only ways to use would.

要弄清楚的是，這不是使用“would”的 唯一方式。有其他可能的答案。

There are other possible answers.

For example, you could say:

例如，您可以說：

Tell me the time, would you?

Tell me the time, would you? Would you mind getting me a sandwich?

Would you mind getting me a sandwich?

These are possible, but the first answers I gave you are the most obvious.

這些是可能的，但是，我給您的 第一個問題是最明顯的。

Also, let’s get something clear: there’s no connection between these different uses

同樣，我們釐清某些事情：在這些 “would”的不同用法之間

of would.

是沒有關聯的。

If you use would to make a polite request, like you’re doing here, there’s no connection

如果您使用“would”來有禮貌地提出 請求，像您在這裡做的那樣，

with the idea of imaginary or unreal situations that you saw in part one.

那與您在第一部分看到的假想的 或不真實的情形是沒有關聯的。

Okay, let’s move on and look at another way to use would.

好，我們繼續並看看使用 “would”的另外一種方式。

Imagine you have a friend who’s always late for everything.

想像您有一個每次都會遲到的朋友。 您明天要和您的朋友會面，

You’re meeting your friend tomorrow, and you’re really annoyed that you always have

您真的很煩您總是要等。 您告訴您的朋友

to wait.

You tell your friend to be on time, and she replies:

要準時，她回答：

I’ll be on time, I promise!

I’ll be on time, I promise! I’ll get an earlier bus, which will get to the centre

I’ll get an earlier bus, which will get to the centre by 3.00.

by 3.00.

Now, imagine that it’s a few days later, and you want to tell me what your friend said

現在，想像一下幾天之後， 您想告訴我您的朋友對

to you.

您說的。您會怎麼做？

How would you do it?

You would say something like:

您會說某些像是：

My friend promised she’d be on time.

My friend promised she’d be on time. She said she’d get an earlier bus, which she

She said she’d get an earlier bus, which she said would arrive by 3.00.

said would arrive by 3.00. Of course, when she turned up it was nearly 4.00!

Of course, when she turned up it was nearly 4.00!

Do you see what’s happening here?

您看到了在這裡發生了什麼事情嗎？

Every time your friend says will, you say would when you’re talking about what your

每次，您的朋友說“will”，在您談論 您的朋友說的時候，

friend said.

您說“would”。

English learners often say something like, “Would is the past tense of will.”

英文學生通常說某些事像是： “Would is the past tense of will.”那有時候

That’s true sometimes, but not generally.

是真的，但是，並非 一般都是這樣的。

For example, for the uses of would you saw in parts one and two, it’s not helpful or

例如，您在第一部分與第二部分 看到的“would”的用法，要說

accurate to say that would is the past tense of will.

“would”是“will”的過去時態，那是 沒用的講法或是不準確的。

However, in reported speech, it’s a good way to think about it.

然而，在報告陳述裡，那麼 考慮是一個好方式。

There’s one more case where would has a past meaning connected to will.

還有一個“would”有過去的 意思並與“will”相關聯的事例。

Do you know what I’m talking about?

您知道我在談論什麼嗎？

Both will and would can have the meaning of refusing to do something.

“will”和“would”兩者可以有拒絕 做某事的意思。例如：

For example:

I’ll ask him, but he won’t help me.

I’ll ask him, but he won’t help me. He’ll refuse to help me (in the future).

He’ll refuse to help me (in the future).

I asked him, but he wouldn’t help me.

I asked him, but he wouldn’t help me. He refused to help me (in the past).

He refused to help me (in the past).

In this case, you can use would as the past version of will.

在這個事例裡，您可以使用“would” 作為“will”的過去式版本。

You can use this to talk about people:

您可以使用這個來談論人們:

They wouldn’t give me my money back, even though I had the receipt.

They wouldn’t give me my money back, even though I had the receipt.

They refused to give me my money back.

他們拒絕還我錢。

You can also use it to talk about things:

您也可以使用它來談論事情：

My car wouldn’t start this morning.

My car wouldn’t start this morning. 我的小車 “拒絕”發動。好，不能在

My car ‘refused’ to start.

Okay, cars can’t literally refuse to start, but we often talk about machines, computers

字面上說小車拒絕發動，但是，我們 經常用這種方式來談論機器、電腦

and things like that in this way.

和類似那樣的事情。

Here’s a similar example:

這裡有一個相似的事例：

When he tried to show me, the file wouldn’t open.

When he tried to show me, the file wouldn’t open.

So here and in part three—reported speech—the meanings of will and would are connected.

所以，在這裡和第三部分 — 報告陳述 — “will”和“would”的意思是有關聯的。

When you’re thinking about how to use will and would, it’s important to remember that

在我們談論怎麼使用“will”和 “would”時，記住有時意思是

sometimes the meanings are connected, and sometimes they’re completely different.

相關聯的、有時它們是完全 不同的是很重要的。

We’ll come back to this point at the end of the lesson.

在課程的結尾，我們會 回頭看這點。

There’s one more way to use would that we need to look at:

還有一個我們要看的使用 “would”的方式：

You can use would to talk about things you did in the past, but don’t do now.

您可以使用“would”來談論您在過去 做過，但是現在沒做的事情。

For example:

例如：

My mum would walk us to school when we were little.

My mum would walk us to school when we were little.

When I was training for the marathon, I would go running for two hours every day after work.

When I was training for the marathon, I would go running for two hours every day after work.

It was exhausting!

It was exhausting!

Would is similar to used to here, but it’s not exactly the same.

“Would”在這裡用法相似， 但是，不完全相同。

When you use would like this, you can only talk about repeated actions in the past.

當您像這樣使用“would“時，您只 能談論在過去重複的行為。

You can’t talk about states and situations, like you can with used to.

您不能像您習慣的那樣 來談論狀態和情形。

So, you can’t say:

所以，您不能說：

I would live in a small flat with my friends when I was a student.

I would live in a small flat with my friends when I was a student.

That’s not correct, because live is a state, not an action.

那不正確，因為生活是一個狀態， 不是一個行為。

However, this sentence is okay:

但是，這句話是可以的：

I would go out with my friends most evenings when I was a student.

I would go out with my friends most evenings when I was a student.

This is fine, because go out is an action.

這句可以，是因為外出是一個行為。

So, now you’ve seen all the different ways you can use would in English.

那麼，您現在看到了您在英文裡使用 “would”的所有不同方式。

Let’s review what you’ve learned today.

我們複習一下今天您學到了什麼。

Would has five common uses in English.

“Would”在英文裡有五個常見 用法。它可以用來：

It can be used:

To talk about imaginary or unreal situations.

談論想像的或不真實的情形。 有禮貌地提出請求。

To make polite requests.

In reported speech, as the past version of will.

在報告陳述裡，作為 “will”的過去版本。

To mean ‘refused to’.

表達“拒絕”的意思。 談論在過去重複的行為。

To talk about repeated actions in the past.

When you’re learning about how to use would, one of the most important things to get clear

當您正在學習怎麼使用“would”時， 在您的腦海裡要弄清楚的

in your head is the relationship between will and would.

最重要的一件事是“will” 與“would”之間的關係。

Sometimes will and would are connected: if you’re using reported speech, or using would

有時“will”和“would”是關聯的： 如果您在報告陳述裡使用，或使用“would”

to mean ‘refused to’, then would behaves like a past version of will.

來表達“拒絕”的意思，那麼“would” 表現像是“will”的一個過去版本。

However, in the other uses of would, there is no connection between will and would.

然而，在“would”的其他用法裡，“will” 和“would”之間是沒有關聯的。

In fact, in the most common use of would—talking about imaginary or unreal situations—will

事實上，在“would”的最常見用法裡 — 談論假想的或是不真實的情形 — “will”

and would have almost opposite meanings.

和“would”幾乎是有相反的意思。

For example, if someone says, “I’ll help you,” with will, you can expect them to

例如，如果某人說：“I’ll help you,” 用“will”，您可以期望他們

help you, in reality.

在現實裡幫您。

If someone says, “I would help you,” with would, then you shouldn’t expect them to

如果某人說：“I would help you,”用 “would”，那您不要期望他們

help you.

幫您。“Will”和“would”在 這裡有完全不同的意思。

Will and would have completely different meanings here.

It’s also good to remember that the different uses of would aren’t connected to each other

最好是記住“would”的不同用法 不是所有的都互相關聯的。

at all.

“would”的意思完全取決於 句子和情形。

The meaning of would depends completely on the sentence and the situation.

Finally, would can refer to different times depending on how you’re using would.

最後，依照您怎麼使用“would”， “would”可以提及不同的時間。

For example:

例如：

I would come tomorrow, but I’ve already made other plans.

I would come tomorrow, but I’ve already made other plans.

Would you pass me that blue bag?

Would you pass me that blue bag? I asked them to change my ticket, but they

I asked them to change my ticket, but they wouldn’t do anything.

wouldn’t do anything.

These three sentences are about the future, the present and the past, respectively.

這三句分別有關 未來、現在和過去。

So you can’t say what time would refers to by itself.

所以您不能說“would”自身提及 什麼時間。依照意思和上下文，

It can refer to any time depending on the meaning and the context.

它可以提及任何時間。

Most importantly, would doesn’t necessarily have a past meaning.

最重要的是，“would”不必有一個 過去的意思。有時會有，但是，

Sometimes it does, but it can also refer to the present or

它也能提及現在或未來。

the future.

Thanks a lot for watching!

非常感謝觀看！