What is the difference between will and would in English?

Here you can find out the difference between will and would in English.

In order to understand the difference between these two words, it is enough to know when they are used. Then you can compare when to use will or would and see the difference.

1. First, it should be remembered that these words function as auxiliary verbs in different tenses. This is their first distinction.

Will is an auxiliary verb for Future Indefinite (future indefinite).
I will go there - I will go there.

Would is an auxiliary verb for Future Indefinite in the Past Tense (future indefinite in the past).

2. The second difference is the use in conditional sentences. As you know, there are several types of conditional sentences in English. In the first type (realistically feasible assumptions), will is used in the main clause, and in the second type (unbelievable or unlikely assumptions), would is used in the main clause.

If you send me flowers I will call you - If you send me flowers, I will call you (first type).
If I knew your adress I would come to you - If I knew your address, I would come to you (second type).

3. It should be remembered that would replaces will according to the rule of timing. For example, in indirect speech.

Mary asked me whether I would do it for her - Mary asked me if I would do it for her.

4. Would, unlike will, expresses the particle would, for example, in conditional sentences.

If I knew your adress I would come to you - If I knew your address, I would come to you.

5. Will and would can be used to express a request, but would expresses a more polite request, and in this sense its use is more preferable.

Would you please help us - Could you please help us.

English modal verbs shall And will are used in only two forms: in the present tense - shall, will and in past tense should,would.

The infinitive after these verbs is used without the particle to:

I shall be busy on Monday. I will be busy on Monday.
He will come soon. He will come soon.
I said that I should be busy on Monday. I said that I would be busy on Monday.
He said that he would come soon. He said he would come soon.

In colloquial speech, the following abbreviations are used:
I will = I "ll
I would = I "d
he will = he'll
he would = he"d
she will = she'll
she would = she'd
we will = we'll
we would = we"d
you will = you "ll
you would = you "d
they will = they'll
they would = they'd
shall not = shan"t
will not = won't
would not = wouldn't
should not = shouldn't

Verb shall used as an auxiliary verb in combination with an infinitive to form future tense forms with 1st person singular and plural:

I shall be free tonight. I'll be free tonight.
Shall I see you tomorrow? I will see you tomorrow?
We shall not have an English lesson tomorrow. Tomorrow we will not have an English lesson.

In modern English, instead of shall usually used in first person will: I will be free tonight. We will not have an English lesson tomorrow.

Shall used in an interrogative sentence when referring to an interlocutor for an order, an indication. Shall in this case, it has a modal meaning, giving the action a shade of obligation. In the corresponding Russian sentence, the verb is used in the infinitive form:

Shall I close the window? Close a window?
Where shall we wait for you? Where can we wait for you?
Shall he wait for you at the hotel? Should he wait for you at the hotel?

Shall used with the 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural in affirmative and negative sentences. In this case shall has a modal meaning, giving the action in the future tense the shade of a promise, an order, a threat, a warning on the part of the speaker. In Russian, modal meaning shall conveyed by the appropriate intonation:

Tell her that she shall have the books tomorrow. Tell her that she will get the books tomorrow (promise).
You shall write your exercises at once. You will write the exercises immediately (order).

Shall used with the 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural in agreements, contracts and other documents. In this case shall has a modal meaning, giving the action in the future tense a shade of obligation. In the corresponding Russian sentence, the future tense is used, or more often "should" with the infinitive:

The Buyers shall have the right to inspect the goods during their manufacture. Buyers should have the right (will have the right) to inspect the product during its production.

Should(past tense form of shall) is used as an auxiliary verb:

1. with the 1st person singular and plural to form the Future in the Past forms of the indicative mood:
I said that I should be glad to see him. I said I would be glad to see him.

2. with the 1st person singular and plural to form subjunctive forms used in the main part of conditional sentences of the second and third types:
I should go there if I had time. I would go there if I had time.

Currently instead of should usually used with 1st person would(both in the Future in the Past and the subjunctive forms).

3. with all persons of the singular and plural to form the forms of the subjunctive mood used in the following types of sentences:

a) in subordinate clauses of subjects beginning with the union that after turns like it is desirable - desirable, it is necessary - necessary, it is important - important, it is strange - strange, etc. (combined with Simple and Perfect Infinitive):
It is strange that he should have said it. It's strange that he said that.

b) in additional subordinate clauses, when the verb-predicate of the main clause expresses determination, demand, offer, agreement, command (in combination with Simple Infinitive):
He ordered that the work should be done at once. He ordered that the work be done immediately.

c) in additional subordinate clauses, when the verb-predicate of the main clause expresses a feeling of regret, surprise, indignation, joy, etc. (combined with Simple and Perfect Infinitive):
It is a pity that it should be so. It's a pity that it is.

d) in subordinate clauses of the goal (in combination with Simple Infinitive):
I "ll ring him up at once so that he shouldn't wait for me. I'll call him immediately so he doesn't have to wait for me.

e) in subordinate clauses of the condition (in combination with Simple Infinitive):
If they should come, I shall speak to them about it. If they come, I will talk to them about it.

e) in direct and indirect questions, beginning with why, to express great surprise, bewilderment (in combination with Simple and Perfect Infinitive):
Why should you have behaved so? Why did you behave like this?

Should used as a verb with an independent modal meaning to express a moral duty or advice to all persons in the singular and plural. Should in conjunction with Simple Infinitive is used when it is about the present or the future and is translated into Russian as "should, should, should, should":

Shouldn't help them. He must (should, he should, should) help them.

Should in combination with Perfect Infinitive used in relation to the past, expresses censure or reproach and is translated into Russian "should, should, should, should":

Should not have helped them. He should have (should have, he should have) helped them.

Should in conjunction with Infinitive Passive translated into Russian "must, should, should have, should" with the passive voice infinitive or "should, should, should" with the active voice infinitive:

This letter should be sent off at once. This letter should (should) be sent immediately. This letter should (should) be sent immediately.

In Russian, “should, should have” can be used both in relation to the present or future, and in relation to the past. When "should, should" be used in relation to the present or future, they correspond to the combination should with the infinitive in the form of Simple. When "should, should" be used in relation to the past, they correspond to the combination should with the infinitive in the Perfect form:

You should (you should) do it now (tomorrow). You should do it now (tomorrow).
You should have (you should have) done it yesterday. You should have done it yesterday.

Should also used with a modal meaning in indirect speech, depending on the verb in the past tense, when in the corresponding direct speech should be used with a modal meaning. Should in this case, it is used according to the rule of time coordination:

I asked him where I should wait for him. I asked him where I should wait for him.

Verb will used as an auxiliary verb in combination with the infinitive to form the future tense with the 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural:

Not will come to Moscow soon. He will soon arrive in Moscow.

Will used with the 1st person singular and plural with a modal meaning, giving the action in the future tense a shade of desire, intention, consent or promise:

I will call on you tomorrow. I will visit you tomorrow.
We will help him. We will help him.

Would(past tense form of will) is used as an auxiliary verb:

1. with the 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural to form the Future in the Past forms of the indicative mood:
Didn't say that he would come soon. He said he would come soon.

2. with the 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural to form subjunctive forms used in the main part of conditional sentences of the second and third types:
Wouldn't go there if he had time. He would go there if he had time.

Would often used with the 1st person instead of should.

Would is used with a modal meaning with all singular and plural persons in negative sentences to express a stubborn unwillingness to perform an action in the past, and in this case it is translated into Russian "did not want (a)":

Didn't try to persuade me, but I wouldn't listen to him. He tried to convince me, but I didn't want to listen to him. I asked him several times to give up smoking, but he wouldn't. I asked him several times to stop smoking, but he didn't want to.

Would used to express a request:

Would you mind passing me the salt? Please pass me the salt.

Would used with all persons singular and plural to express a repeated action in the past with the meaning "happened":

Wouldn't sit for hours on the shore and (would) look at the sea. He used to sit for hours on the shore and look at the sea.
The verb would in this case approaches in meaning to used (to). It should be borne in mind that in colloquial speech used (to) is used much more often than would.

Would used in indirect speech, depending on the verb in the past tense, with the 1st person singular and plural with a hint of intention, desire or consent, when will should be used in the corresponding direct speech. Would

The auxiliary verb will is used in all sentences of the future tense, both active and passive voices. Its main task is to indicate that the sentence belongs to the future tense, therefore this verb in most cases is used only as an auxiliary. But it can also be used as a semantic meaning “to bequeath” In the form of a noun, the meaning is “will”. In colloquial speech, it may also be present to indicate a request or annoyance of the speaker.

Will you close the window?
Could you please close the window? (request)

Will you be quiet!
Calm down already. (irritability)

The auxiliary verb will does not change its form regardless of the group of tenses, number and person.

subject	Future Simple	Future Continuous	Future Perfect	Future Perfect Continuous
I	Will	will be	Will have	Will have been
He She It proper names	Will	will be	Will have	Will have been
We You They	Will	will be	Will have	Will have been

Suggestion examples:

I will be with you.
I'll be with you.

She will start the exercises tomorrow.
She will start exercising tomorrow.

Will they be back tomorrow?
Will they be back tomorrow?

It is also worth paying attention to the rule of abbreviation of the verb will and the particle not:

Will not = Won't

When abbreviating the verb will and the negative particle not, the notation won "t is used. The generally accepted abbreviation rules for this auxiliary verb cannot be used, therefore willn" t and willnot are incorrect.

It is worth noting that won't is pronounced identically with the verb want (to want), so they are indistinguishable by ear. But these two words can be easily distinguished from each other in the context of the conversation. To learn this, you need to remember that will (won't) is an auxiliary verb, and want is a semantic one. Any two semantic verbs standing side by side must always be separated by the particle to, while the auxiliary verb and the semantic verb are not separated by anything.

I won't help him. “I won't help him.

I want to help him. “I want to help him.

Therefore, if the particle to is present, then we are dealing with a semantic verb, in this case with the verb want. If there is no to particle, it means that the first verb is an auxiliary. In our case, won't. And remember that in a declarative sentence, the auxiliary verb must always be followed by a semantic one (with the exception of the auxiliary verb to be).

I want this toy! - I want this toy!

There is no to particle here, but the verb is also after the word want. Therefore, there cannot be an auxiliary verb won't in any way.

The verb will in English has two functions - a modal verb and an auxiliary verb, which is used to form the future tense. And it is not at all accidental that one verb performs these two, seemingly so different, functions. The fact is that in modern English the future tense always carries some additional connotation: either necessity, or coercion, or wish. What is usually conveyed by a modal verb.

Will as a modal verb

The modal verb will means in English the resolve or agreement of the speaker to perform some action. In this meaning, the modal verb will is used only in affirmative sentences.
Examples:

We will help you.
We will help you. (we promise to help)

I don't like this job but I will work.
I don't like this job, but I will work. (agreement)

In interrogative sentences, the verb will adds politeness to the question or makes a polite request.
For example:

Will you repeat open the door?
Could you open the door?

In negative sentences, the presence of will indicates perseverance and perseverance in performing an action:

The plane will not take off.
The plane doesn't take off.

Will as an auxiliary verb

How to build sentences correctly

with the modal verb will?

As with other modal verbs, in affirmative sentences, the modal verb will is placed immediately after the subject, and the semantic verb immediately follows will. For example:

We will help you.
We will help you.

Here we (we) is the subject, help (to help) is the semantic verb.

The presence of the modal verb will allows you to do without the auxiliary verb do :

• in an interrogative sentence, will is placed before the subject;
• in a negative sentence, the particle not is placed immediately after will.

Sentences in which will is used as an auxiliary verb follow the same rules.

Modal verb would

In addition, the verb would can act as an auxiliary verb in the formation of the tense future in the past. You can read more about this function of the verb would in the article.

Here you can take a lesson on the topic: Future tense and the verb "will" in English. Future Simple Tense and "will".

In English, there are several ways to express actions in the future tense. So, for example, with the help of turnover to be going to (plans and intentions), or with the help of Present Continuous (pre-planned events) and Present Simple (schedules and programs).

However, the most important and meaningful way of expressing the future simple tense in English is the short word will, which is both the future form of the verb to be, and one of the modal verbs.

The verb will is quite simple in form, since it does not change in numbers or persons, and is used with a regular infinitive. The meaning of the word will is more intricate, which we will look at in this lesson, along with the use in various sentences and some distinctive features.

I. The first thing to be familiar with is conjugation of the verb will in affirmative, negative and interrogative forms, using personal pronouns as an example. pay attention to possible reductions.

1. Below is the conjugation in affirmative, negative and interrogative forms:

(+)
I will (I "ll) - I will
You will (You "ll) - You will / You will
He will (He "ll) - He will
She will (She "ll) - She will
It will (It "ll) - He / She will (inanimate)
We will (We "ll) - We will
They will (They "ll) - They will

(-)
I will not (I won "t) - I won't
You will not (You won "t) - You won't / You won't
He will not (He won "t) - He will not
She will not (She won "t) - She will not
It will not (It won "t) - He / She will not (inanimate)
We will not (We won "t) - We will not
They will not (They won "t) - They won't

(?)
Will I..? - Would I..?
Will you..? - Will you..? / Will you..?
Will he..? - Will he...?
Will she..? - Will she...?
Will it..? - Will he/she...? (inanimate)
Will we..? - Will we..?
Will they..? - Will they..?

As you can see from the examples, will does not change in any way, and this is quite convenient when making sentences. The only noticeable changes are visible in the abbreviated negative form - won "t /" wəunt /.

2. Due to the fact that the verb will belongs to the modal group, it obeys many rules of this particular group. For example, after all modal verbs (except for have to and need to) in sentences followed by infinitive(the original form of the verb). For example:

He will call you tomorrow. - He'll call you tomorrow.
I won "t tell you her secret. - I won't tell you her secret.
Will she be back by next Sunday? - Yes, she will. -No, she won't. - Will she be back by next Sunday? -Yes. -No.
Where will you stay during your holiday? - Where will you stay during your vacation?

As can be seen from the examples, marker words are often used in the simple future tense: tomorrow (tomorrow), next week (next week), next month (next month), in the future (in the future), in the coming year (in the coming year), soon (soon), in a week (in a week), in several days (in a few days), etc.

The examples also show several features of interrogative sentences with the word will. First of all, these are short answers to common questions that are sure to repeat the verb will in affirmative and negative form. And the second feature is the ability to build special questions in the simple future tense with any question words (what, where, why, when, etc.) that are placed at the very beginning of the sentence.

II. The future tense verb will has many values. Let's consider each of them separately.

1. First of all, will, in contrast to the turnover to be going to, expresses spontaneous unplanned actions in the future. For example:

Fine, I "ll let you know when I" m free. - Okay, I'll let you know when I'm free.
- The phone is ringing. - I "ll answer it. - The phone rings. - I will answer.
I think he will never call again. I don't think he'll ever call again.

It can be seen from the examples that these phrases express unplanned thoughts, i.e. the fact that the speaker did not plan them in advance, but just decided. The last example also clearly demonstrates that instead of the particle not, you can use the word never to give a sentence a negative connotation.

2. Often the word will is used in offers - promises. For example:

I will never leave you. - I'll never leave you.
It won "t hurt, I promise. - It won't hurt, I promise.

3. Will is also used to express actions in the future that are inevitable. For example:

He will be far away at this time tomorrow. He will be very far away by this time tomorrow.
I will turn 30 next September. - I will turn 30 next September.

4. One of the frequent uses of the word will is confident future forecasts and predictions. For example:

This card says that you "ll be happy with him. - This card says that you will be happy with him.
The weather won "t change tomorrow. - The weather will not change tomorrow.

5. In the main part of conditional sentences of the first type the verb will is also often used. For example:

If it rains. I "ll wear a raincoat. - If it rains, I'll put on a raincoat.
If you come with us, we "ll book a larger table. - If you come with us, we will reserve a larger table.

6. Will is also often used to express possible actions in future with expressions:
I think.., I hope.., I "m sure.., I"m afraid.., I promise.., possibly, probably, and some others. For example:

I think she will pass this exam. - I think she will pass this exam.
I promise that I'll help you with your home task. - I promise I will help you with your homework.
I'm sure they'll win. - I'm sure they'll win.
I "m afraid he won't come. I'm afraid he won't come.
It "ll probably rain tonight. - It may rain tonight.
He "ll possibly win this fight. - Maybe he will win this fight.

III. In addition to the verb will, the modal verb shall is sometimes used to express the future simple tense. This applies especially to questions with shades of request (Request) or offer(Offer). For example:

Shall we dance? - Shall we dance?
Shall I make you some coffee? - Make you coffee?
Shall I see you tomorrow? - Will we see you tomorrow?

In British English, shall is considered to be used in normal first-person affirmative sentences (I shall, We shall), however, these are slightly outdated expressions.

Quite often, the future simple tense with the verbs will and shall is used in English sayings. For example:

Broken friendship may be soldered, but will never be sound. - A cracked friendship can be glued together, but it will never be strong again.
No herb will cure love. - Love can not be cured by any potions.
He that will eat the kernel must crack the nut. - Anyone who wants to eat nuts must crack them. / If you don’t crack a nut, you won’t eat the kernels either.
We shall see what we shall see. - We'll see that. / It's still how to look.
Many words will not fill a bushel. - You can't fill a vessel with many words. / You won't be full of talk.
If the sky falls, we shall catch larks. - If the sky falls, we will catch larks. / If only, if only.
Hawks will not pick hawks "eyes. - The hawk will not peck out the eyes of the hawk.
Not that will not when he may, when he will he shall have nay. - He who does not want to, when he can, will no longer be able to, when he wants to.
As the tree falls, so shall it lie. - As the tree falls, so it will lie. / Where the tree leaned, it fell there.

Thus, we got acquainted with the future tense in English, as well as with the verbs of the future: will and shall. In addition, we looked at the form and place of the verb will in sentences, plus its many meanings.

For a small charge try to translate the following sentences in English:

I think he will like this gift.
The weather will change for the better next week.
He promised he would call me.
Can I help you with these heavy bags?
Can you help me?
If it's cold, I'll put on my warm coat.
I'm sure this team will win.
She probably won't come.
Maybe it will rain tomorrow.
I'm afraid it won't help.
Where can we celebrate this Christmas?