English modal verbs shall And will are used only in two forms: in the present tense - shall, will and in the past tense - should,would.
The infinitive after these verbs is used without the particle to:
I shall be busy on Monday.
I'll be busy on Monday.
He will come soon. He will come soon.
I said that I should be busy on Monday. I said I'd 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 shall shouldn't = shouldn't Verb used as auxiliary verb:
in combination with the infinitive to form future tense forms with the 1st person singular and
plural
I shall be free tonight. I'll be free tonight.
Shall I see you tomorrow? shall 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 usually used in first person In modern English, instead of will
I will be free tonight. We will not have an English lesson tomorrow.
Shall
used in an interrogative sentence when addressing an interlocutor for orders or instructions. 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:
In modern English, instead of used with the 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural in affirmative and negative sentences. In this case shall has a modal meaning, giving action in the future tense a shade of promise, command, threat, warning on the part of the speaker. Modal meaning in Russian shall conveyed with appropriate intonation:
Tell her that she shall have the books tomorrow. Tell her that she will receive the books tomorrow (promise).
You shall write your exercises at once. You will write the exercises immediately (order).
In modern English, instead of 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 action in the future tense a connotation of obligation. The corresponding Russian sentence uses the future tense or more often “must” with an 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 process.
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 the 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 Future in the Past and subjunctive forms).
3. with all persons singular and plural to form the subjunctive forms used in the following types offers:
a) in subordinate clauses of subjects starting with the conjunction that after phrases like it is desirable - desirable, it is necessary - necessary, it is important - important, it is strange - strange, etc. (in combination 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 predicate verb of the main sentence expresses determination, demand, proposal, agreement, order (in combination with the Simple Infinitive):
He ordered that the work should be done at once. He ordered the work to be done immediately.
c) in additional subordinate clauses, when the predicate verb of the main sentence expresses a feeling of regret, surprise, indignation, joy, etc. (in combination with Simple and Perfect Infinitive):
It is a pity that it should be so. It's a pity that this is so.
d) in subordinate clauses of the goal (in combination with the 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 conditions (in combination with Simple Infinitive):
If they should come, I shall speak to them about it. If they come, I'll talk to them about it.
e) in direct and indirect questions starting with why, to express strong surprise, bewilderment (in combination with Simple and Perfect Infinitive):
Why should you have behaved so? Why did you behave this way?
Should used as a verb with an independent modal meaning to express moral duty or advice with all persons singular and plural. Should in combination with Simple Infinitive used when we're talking about about the present or future and is translated into Russian “should, should, should, should”:
Shouldn't help them.
Should He should (should, should, should) help them. in combination with Perfect Infinitive
used in relation to the past, expresses censure or reproach and is translated into Russian “should have, should have, should have, should have”:
Should Shouldn't have helped them. He should have (should have, should have, should have) helped them. in combination with Infinitive Passive translated into Russian "should, should, should, should" with the infinitive
passive voice or “should, should, should” with an active 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” can be used both in relation to the present or future, and in relation to the past. When “should, should” are used in relation to the present or future, they correspond to the combination should with the infinitive in the Simple form. When “should, should have” are 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 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 shall should be used with a modal meaning. Should in this case it is used according to the rule of tense agreement:
I asked him where I should wait for him. I asked him where I should wait for him.
would not = wouldn't will used as an auxiliary verb in combination with an infinitive to form future tense forms with the 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural:
Will not come to Moscow soon. He will soon arrive in Moscow.
Will used with the 1st person singular and plural with a modal meaning, giving action in the future tense a connotation of desire, intention, consent or promise:
I will call on you tomorrow.
I'll come see you tomorrow.
We will help him. We will help him.
Would
(past 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 the subjunctive forms used in the main part of conditional sentences of the second and third type:
We will help him. Wouldn't go there if he had time. should.
We will help him. He would go there if he had time.
often used with 1st person instead is used with a modal meaning with all singular and plural persons in negative sentences to express persistent reluctance to perform an action in the past and in this case is translated into Russian as “didn’t want to”: Didn't try to persuade me, but I wouldn't listen to him. He tried to convince me, but I did not want to listen to him.
We will help him. I asked him several times to give up smoking, but he wouldn't.
I asked him several times to quit smoking, but he didn't want to. used to express a request:
We will help him. Would you mind passing me the salt?
Please pass me the salt. used with all singular and plural persons 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
We will help him. used in indirect speech, depending on the verb in the past tense, with the 1st person singular and plural with a connotation of intention, desire or consent, when in the corresponding direct speech will should be used. Would
The verb will (past tense form of would) in English language has two functions:
The first is the designation of the action which is planned in the future:
I will go there. (I'll go there).
The second - which helps to express desire, readiness, determination to take action: She will have her own way. (She'll do it her way.)
As well as a certain degree of confidence and assertiveness of the speaker:
That will be a doctor at the door. (Looks like the doctor has come).
A little history
It is curious that in ancient English there was no special . People guessed that an action was being planned using context. For Russian speakers, it will help you remember the basic lexical meaning verb consonant with the word “will”. After all, in fact, one of the most popular uses of will is precisely the expression of the will to do something (or, on the contrary, to refuse an action).
A feature of modern English is that it does not have a future tense form, without additional shades: necessity, compulsion, desire, speaker or writer. This must be taken into account when using the verbs will and would.
It should be recalled that until recently, teachers of classical English grammar for the formation of the Simple future tense () required the use of the verb shall in the 1st person. Nevertheless, the language lives and develops and today the colloquial norm is almost universally considered will for all persons and numbers. In rare cases, using shall gives the speech a more formal or mentoring tone.
Basic uses of the verb will
- To indicate intention, desire, promise:
He will help you. He will help you.
We will come and see you next week. We will visit you next week. - To express a request or order:
You will tell me all secrets! You will tell me all the secrets!
This form of categorical order, almost a threat, is noticeably softened by the use of please:
Will you close the door, please? Could you close the door? - To express some degree of confidence:
We'll see you tomorrow. We'll see you tomorrow.
He will be about fifty. He must be about fifty years old.
Basic uses of the verb would
To express the possibility of certain actions in the past (translated using the particle “would”).
If he knew, he would be glad. If he knew, he would be glad.
It is important to remember here that the English language has a strict rule of tense agreement. Therefore, if in the main sentence they used the past tense, then in the subordinate clause, the Future in the Past is used. For this purpose we use would. The difficulty, which often gives rise to errors, is that in Russian, the subordinate clause is simply translated into the future tense.
I knew that you would give me a chance. I knew you would give me a chance.
In the present tense, this form is used for particularly polite, non-categorical requests.:
Would you come in? Won't you come in?
Would you close the window? Would you close the window?
To describe habitual actions in the past:
He would visit her every day. He used to visit her every day.
Used in reasoning and assumptions:
I wonder whether he would object… I wonder if he will object...
Sometimes the same verb is used to describe and convey direct speech:
She said she would leave. She said she would leave.
Contracted and negative forms of the verbs will and would
In English speech, the abbreviated (reduced) form of verbs is often used. In cases where the proposal is affirmative, everything is quite simple:
I will - I'll
I'll. visit this museum
I will visit this museum.
He (she) will -he’ll (she’ll)
He'll (she will) ask me about it. He/she will ask for it
We will - We'll
We'll (we will) look after the children.
We'll look after the children.
The short form would be even easier to use. It is formed according to one rule, reducing to the short “‘d”:
We were confident that he ‘d (he would) find a solution. We were confident that he would fulfill his promise.
Some difficulties may arise when using the shortened negative form of the verb will. In this case, you need to remember that you cannot use the general principle of abbreviation for this verb! The forms willn’t and willnot do not exist! The correct ones are won’t from will (will not);
We won't invite them. We won't invite them.
The verb would forms a short negative form by general rule:wouldn't
We knew that they wouldn’t go to Moscow. We knew that they would not go to Moscow.
Peculiarities of using the verbs will and would
It is curious that in colloquial speech won’t is pronounced exactly the same as the verb want (want, desire). Their meaning can be recognized using context, as well as strictly grammatical requirements. The verb want has its own meaning. It is not modal, therefore it must be separated from another verb by the particle to.
For example, let's take two sentences:
- We won't invite them. We won't invite them.
- We want to invite them; already translated differently: We want to invite them.
With the verb would there are several set expressions(idioms) popular in colloquial speech: would rather; would better; would sooner.
- I would rather go on the next train. I'll probably take the next train.
- You would better look after him. You better keep an eye on him.
- She said she would sooner stay at home. She would rather stay at home.
You can memorize with these verbs, which will make your speech more natural and help you remember the verbs better:
- Hawks will not pick hawks' eyes.- literally translated, we are talking about hawks. Russian equivalent: A raven will not peck out a crow's eye.
- Many words will not fill a bushel.- Words won't help matters.
Modal verb ' would ’ is quite common in English. It is usually followed byinfinitivewithoutparticlesto.
It would be nice to spend a holiday by the sea.
It would be great to spend a holiday on the coast.
In colloquial speech or informal writing would is declining to "d":
I"d like a cup if coffee.
I'd like a cup of coffee.
The modal verb 'would' has no tenses and never changes its form. Question with the modal verb would is formed by placing it before the subject, like a regular auxiliary verb:
Would you like a cup of coffee?
Would you like a cup of coffee?
Negation is formed by adding the particle not to the verb and most often is declining to wouldn't .
We wouldn't want to live in this place.
We wouldn't want to live in this place.
Let's look at the main cases of use would.
To denote the so-called "future in the past"(Future in the Past), that is, what was expected, planned or promised in the future.
She thought she would never see him again.
She thought she would never see him again.
For description hypothetical situation in the present tense, which is unlikely.
I"d love to live in Paris.
I would like to live in Paris.
For description hypothetical situation in the past used would have + Past Participle (in conditional sentences of the 3rd type)
If we had known they were coming, we would have booked a room for them.
If we had known they were coming, we would have booked them a room.
It is no secret that some modal verbs, distinguished by specific meanings and forms, developed from other modals, acquiring the status of independent ones. A striking example is a pair shall –, where the second verb, originally used instead of shall in the past tense, has become a full-fledged modal word with individual characteristics. The same applies to such a grammatical structure as the modal verb would. Its use has always been typical in Past instead of will, but over time it has become a full-fledged modal with some special functions unique to it. Therefore, it is necessary to determine what basic meanings this verb has, what is its difference with will, give examples of sentences with would, and also show in what grammatical constructions this word is used.
Main characteristics of a modal verb
Would in English has the same characteristics as most other modals. It does not show an action, but reflects an attitude towards it, cannot have an ending –s after it, is always used with an infinitive, etc. However, it also has one more important feature: in the language it can be used not only as a modal, but also as an auxiliary verb, which may be even more common.
For situations where it acts as an auxiliary verb, the translation rule usually provides for the particle “would”. This is why we so often use this verb in situations where the action is associated with unreality and some kind of fantasy or fiction. This is what it looks like:
- I would be Grateful to you if you helped with this issue– I would be grateful if you could help me with this question
- I wish you would come on time, don’ t be late- I would like you to come on time, don’t be late
Will and would, as we know, were never “pure” modals and were almost always included in various grammatical structures (especially in the tenses of the Future category). Would is often used as a substitute for will in situations that require tense agreement. In addition, its use is very typical in such an area as the subjunctive mood, where it is also a very common auxiliary verb.
Interrogative sentences
In questions, this verb is used in accordance with the rules of modal verbs, when the modal has the right to independently form this type of sentence. So, it comes first, followed by the subjects, then the predicate, and then the rest of the structure. In the event that the question is special, that is, it contains special question word, modal will naturally come after it. For example:
- We will help him. I solve this problem if were not for certain circumstances? – Would I have solved this problem if not for certain circumstances?
- What would you do if she asked you about that Friday? – What would you do if she asked you about that Friday?
Negations and short form
For negation, you do not need to use anything new - the same particle not, characteristic of any modals. In addition, with this verb the shortened form – wouldn’t – is easily formed. Transcription of both British and American English provides the same pronunciation of would in short form with negation: the word is pronounced [ˈwʊd(ə)nt]:
- She wouldn't ’ t participate in this game unless you explain her all the rules– She won’t take part in this game unless you explain all the rules to her.
Methods of transmitting different tenses
Grammar allows the use of a verb in different tenses and situations. So, it was already mentioned a little earlier that this form often serves to coordinate times when it is impossible to use will, for example, he said he would be able to, etc. It is also permissible to form a long tense with it, using , or a previous action through . Situations may be different: the verb found its application in the subjunctive mood, being one of the most popular auxiliary verbs:
- If I were you I would immediately leave this house –On yours place I would immediately left this house
- We will help him. you mind if opened the window a little wider? “Would you mind if I opened the window a little wider?”
Note: the translation of would you mind has only one meaning: “do you mind? won't you mind?" Abbreviated forms are not used here.
Differences between will and would in meaning
Despite the independent status of would as a modal verb, most of its functions overlap with the meanings of will. As a rule, the main difference lies precisely in the temporal form, when it becomes necessary to shift time back one step.
- 1. So, it also has the meaning “will, desire.” The main difference is the frequent use in negative sentences (the abbreviation is also relevant here):
He was in a hurry and wouldn't ’ t tell me anything“He was in a hurry and didn’t want to tell me anything.”
- 2. Both verbs have the meaning of a polite offer or request. If we compare these functions of the two modals, we can note that with would the situation takes on an even greater degree of politeness and courtesy:
We will help him. you be so kind to pass me the kettle? – Could you be so kind as to pass me the teapot?
- 3. Persistence on something. If with will the situation belonged to the present or future tense, then with would it will be Past, again, as a rule, due to the Sequence of Tenses:
He was at a loss, but he would try to make an excuse –He was confused, But All equals had tried apologize
Would does not have a prediction function, and this is quite obvious and logical: any forecast is made for the future and is not used with the past tense.
Special designs
In addition to the above uses, this modal is also part of several other structures. So, the construction would rather (synonymous with it is had better) translates as “it would be better, it would be worth it” and is a condition for the bare Infinitive (without to):
I would rather go with you than stay here alone- I would rather go with you than stay here alone
A stable expression is the phrase would like, which translates as “I would like”:
I would like to visit as many places as possible –To me would I wanted visit How Can more places
All these features of modal verb would allow us to call it unique and special. The use of this modal in speech is very popular, and in order not to confuse it with other words, it is necessary to carefully study its functions and areas of use. Only in this case will the correctness of its use be justified and logical.
The verb would in English is used:
- 1. As an auxiliary verb for the formation of verb forms Future in the Past (future in the past) in the 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural (instead of the verb will).
He says he will come to see me tomorrow.
He says that (he) will visit me tomorrow.
BUT:
Not said(that) he would come next day.
He said he would visit me the next day
He said he would come early.
He said he would come early.
- 2. For expression strong desire refusal to perform an action. In a relationship inanimate objects would in these cases expresses resistance to human efforts.
Not wouldn't go to the doctor.
He never wants to go to the doctor.
I tried to close the case but it wouldn't.
I tried to close the suitcase, but it wouldn’t close.
In expressions:
a) would like instead of the verb want ( want) in the present tense to express a more polite form.
I would like to see you. I'd like to see you.
I would like an (some) ice-cream. I'd like some ice cream.
b) would like V interrogative sentences to express a proposal for something, an invitation to do something.
Would you like
to try on this hat?
Would you like to try on this hat?
Would you like a well-done steak?
Would you like a well-cooked steak?
Would you like another cup of coffee?
(Would you like) another cup of coffee? (Want to…?)
V) would care instead of the verb want (want) in the present tense, but only in interrogative and negative sentences.
Would you care to see my etchings?
Would you like to see my engravings?
Would you care to have some more tea?
Would you like some more tea?
G) if only + would to express regret about an action that was not completed.
If only he would drive more slowly.
If only he had driven slower.
If only she would go by train.
If only she had taken the train.
- 3. As a modal verb in the following cases:
a) to express intention, desire.
Didn't say he would lend me some money to buy a car.
He said he would lend me money to buy a car.
BUT: In the affirmative form, if would expresses intention, it is used in a subordinate clause.
I said that I would help him.
I said I would help him.
He said that he would come soon. negative form would is used independently in the sense of unwillingness to do something - wouldn’t (often with a connotation of “for nothing”, “under no pretext”).
I wouldn't lend him money to buy a car.
I don't want to lend him money to buy a car. (I refused…)
He wouldn't come to see me. (He refused to come.)
He didn't want to visit me. (He refused to come.)
b) to express repetition of action or persistence.
Not would wait for me at the corner of our house.
He used to wait for me at the corner of our house. (Or: And he (but he) was still waiting for me on the corner of our house.- Depending on the context.)
c) to express a polite request.
Would you show me that suit?
Please show me that suit over there.
Would you tell me where the nearest underground station is?
Can you tell me where the nearest metro station is?
