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Would. Hi I'm Arnel from Arnel's
Everyday English. And today, we're going
to look at would step by step. Would is a
very interesting verb, there isn't one
specific definition. You need to learn
when to use wood and in which situations.
So today, it's going to be the grammar
basics, with pronunciation. Would like,
would you mind. Hypothetical situations
in the present and future, plus giving
advice. Hypothetical situations in the
past. Giving polite excuses and past
habits. So we have six steps but don't
worry, we're going to look at them step
by step. It's going to be very easy! Are
you ready?
You need a pen and a notebook, get ready
to:
Take notes! Let's start. The grammar
basics, but first, some people think would
is very difficult to pronounce but if
you think about it WOULD has the same
pronunciation as WOOD.
Would, would, would. Wood, wood, wood. The L in
would, is silent! Okay so, you know wood is
a modal verb. Other modal verbs include:
Will, should, shall, can, could, may, might,
and must. These are all modal verbs. But
today, it's only would. Okay, rule number
one. Modal verbs do not change their form.
I would, you would, he/she/it would, we
would, they would. We DO NOT say, he/she/ it
woulds.
I also cannot say: I am Woulding, yesterday
I woulded. Modal verbs do not change
their form. Number two, we always use:
Modal verb plus infinitive, without to. Kim
would to go to the beach every Saturday?
Kim would go to the beach every Saturday.
The negative is: Would NOT. Kim
don't would go to the beach every
Saturday?
Kim WOULD NOT go to the beach every
Saturday.
Now, do you want to sound more natural in
your speaking? You need to:
Contract. I would, I'd. Say it with me:
I'd, I'd, I'd. You would, you'd, you'd, you'd. He'd,
he'd, he'd. She'd, she'd, she'd. It'd, it'd, it'd.
We'd, we'd, we'd. They'd, they'd,
they'd. Okay, in this lesson I'm going
to contract a lot because it's natural.
Let's move on to number two. Let's go!
Would like/would you mind. These are two
very typical phrases with would. I want
you to memorize each of these phrases as
one piece of vocabulary. Let's start with
would like.
Would like is a very polite way to say: I
want.
I'd like to see a movie tonight. I want
to see a movie tonight.
I'd like to buy a sailboat. I want to buy
a sailboat.
It's always would like, plus two plus
infinitives.
My flatmate would like to paint the
kitchen green. My flatmate wants to paint
the kitchen green. My parents would like
to meet you. My parents want to meet you.
Common mistake: I like drinking tea with
honey.
I would like drinking tea with honey.
Why isn't this correct? We have like plus
i n g, like plus i n g. With would like, you'll
always use it with two, plus infinitive.
Would you like to drink a tea or a
coffee? Do you want to drink a tea or
coffee?
Would you like to go out tonight? Do you
want to go out tonight?
Okay! Let's move on to: Would you mind.
Would you mind plus verb i n g. Again,
memorize this as one piece of vocabulary.
Would you mind
verb i n g, is the same as: Can you please.
it's very polite. Would you mind closing
the window? Can you please close the
window? Would you mind taking the trash
out tonight? Can you please take the
trash out tonight?
Would you mind turning down your music? Can you please turn
down your music? Great! Let's keep going.
Okay, we're on to number three. Would +
infinitive, without to, is used to speak
about hypothetical situations in the
present and future.
What's hypothetical? It's a situation
that is not the reality.
Okay, if I had a lot of money I would go
on holiday. This is hypothetical. Do I
have a lot of money? No. Can I go on
holiday?
No. If I lived in Japan, I would eat sushi
every day. This is hypothetical. Do I live
in Japan?
No. Can I eat sushi every day? No. If I
didn't have a car,
I would cycle to work every day.
Again, this is hypothetical. I do have a
car, so I don't need to cycle to work
every day.
We also use would plus infinitive, to give
advice.
What's advice? It's something we say to
help someone. My neck has been killing me
lately. If I were you, I would see a
doctor. If I were you, I would plus
infinitive, is a very typical way we try
to give advice. I, were. Is that correct?
Yes it's correct. Normally we say: I was.
But, in hypothetical situations we can
use: Were, with any subject. My landlord
wants to increase my rent, I don't know
what to do. Really?
If I were you, I would find another flat.
Your's is already so expensive!
I'm giving my friend advice. My
ex-boyfriend invited me to his wedding.
Oh, if I were you I wouldn't go. I'm
trying to help my friend. But what about
hypothetical situations in the past?
Would have, plus past participle, is used
for hypothetical situations in the past.
What's the past participle? It's verb
number three. Eat, ate, eaten. Eaten, is my
past participle. Jump,
jumped, jumped. Jumped is my past
participle.
If I had studied more when I was younger
I would have been a doctor. This is
hypothetical. Did I study a lot when I
was younger?
No. Did I become a doctor? No. If I had
left my house 2 minutes earlier, I
wouldn't have missed my train! This is
hypothetical. Did I leave my house on
time? No. Did I manage to catch my train?
No.
Oh, if I had known you were coming, I
would have made dinner! Did I know you
were coming?
No.Did I make dinner? No. Everything here
I'm talking about the past in a
hypothetical way. Would love to, but. We
use this to give a polite excuse. What's
an excuse? It's something we say to tell
someone why we can't do something. Are
you coming to my party tomorrow? I would
love to, but tomorrow I'm going to London.
Why can't I go to the party? I'm going to
London. That's my excuse. Love to is
optional, you don't need to say it. I need
someone to drive me to the airport
tomorrow, are you free? I would but
tomorrow I'm working. Why can't I Drive
my friend to the airport? Because I'm
working, that's my excuse. Hey do you want
to have dinner at my house tonight?
Oh um, dinner tonight at your house? I
would I would love to but tonight I'm so
busy.
It's Friday night, what are you doing?
Um tonight tonight I am...
I'm taking my pet butterfly to the vet.
You're taking your pet butterfly to the
vet? Okay, tomorrow? Tomorrow I would love
to but tomorrow I'm working all day.
Tomorrow night 8:00 p.m. and all night I'm working... Okay, we're
on to number six, it's the last point in
today's lesson! We use would plus infinitive
to speak about past habits. Things that
were normal for you in the past. When I
was a teenager, I would wake up late
every day. This was normal for me in the
past. Now, I wake up very early.
My mom would pack my lunch for me every
day when I went to school. This was
normal for me in the past.
In England, people would drink more tea
than they do now. This was normal in the
past. Remember you cannot use wood plus
infinitive if your verb is a stative
verb. What's a stative verb? They are
emotional non action verbs.
Know, remember, believe. These are all
stative verbs. I would love the Spice
Girls.
I used to love the Spice Girls. Why can't
I say would love? Because here love is a
stative verb, and I'm speaking about
past habits. If that's the case use: Used to.
Whoa! Great job today. If you enjoyed the
lesson and you want to see more of me,
don't forget, I'm on: YouTube, Facebook,
Instagram, and Quora. Just look for Arnel's
Everyday English and I'll see
you soon in another video!
you
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About this lesson
Learn how to use “would” for polite requests, hypothetical situations, and habitual actions in the past.