36. Would ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

36. Would

A	We use would ('d) /wouldn't when we imagine a situation or action (=we think of something that is not real): ·         It would be nice to buy a new car, but we can't afford it. ·         I'd love to live by the sea. ·         A: Shall I tell Chris what happened? B: No, I wouldn't say anything. (= I wouldn't say anything in your situation) We use would have (done) when we imagine situations or actions in the past (=things that didn't happen): ·         They helped us a lot. I don't know what we'd have done (=we would have done) without their help. ·         I didn't tell Sam what happened. He wouldn't have been pleased. Compare would (do) and would have (done): ·         I would call Lisa, but I don't have her number. (now) I would have called Lisa, but I didn't have her number. (past) ·         I'm not going to invite them to the party. They wouldn't come anyway. I didn't invite them to the party. They wouldn't have come anyway. We often use would in sentences with if (see Units 38-40): ·         I would call Lisa if I had her number. ·         I would have called Lisa if I’d had her number.
B	Compare will ('ll) and would ('d): ·         I’ll stay a little longer. I've got plenty of time. I'd stay a little longer, but I really have to go now. (so I can’t stay longer) ·         I'll call Lisa. I have her number. I'd call Lisa, but I don’t have her number. (so I can’t call her) Sometimes would/wouldn't is the past of will/won't. Compare: Present Past TOM: I’ll call you on Sunday. AMY: I promise I won't be late Lisa: Damn! The car won't start. Tom said he'd call me on Sunday. Amy promised that she wouldn't be late. Lisa was annoyed because her car wouldn't start. Somebody wouldn't do something = he/she refused to do it: ·         I tried to warn him, but he wouldn't listen to me. (= he refused to listen) ·         The car wouldn't start. (= it ~refused, to start)
C	You can also use would to talk about things that happened regularly in the past: ·         When we were children, we lived by the sea. In summer, if the weather was fine, we would all get up early and go for a swim. (=we did this regularly) ·         Whenever Richard was angry, he would walk out of the room. With this meaning, would is similar to used to (see Unit 18): ·         Whenever Richard was angry, he used to walk out of the room.

EXERCISES

36.1	Write sentences about yourself. Imagine things you would like or wouldn't like. 1 (a place you'd love to live) ____ I’d love to live by the sea. ______ 2 (a job you wouldn't like to do) ____________________________ 3 (something you would love to do) _______________________________ 4 (something that would be nice to have) _______________________________ 5 (a place you'd like to go to) _______________________________
36.2	Complete the sentences using would+ the following verbs (in the correct form): be     be     do    do      enjoy      enjoy       have      pass      stop 1 They helped us a lot. I don't know what we _____ would have done ______without their help. 2 You should go and see the film. You ___________ it. 3 It's a pity you couldn't come to the party last night. You ____________it. 4 Shall I apply for the job or not? What _______ you _______ 1n my pos1t1on? 5 I was in a hurry when I saw you. Otherwise I ______________ to talk. 6 We took a taxi home last night, but got stuck in the traffic. It _______quicker to walk. 7 Why don't you go and see Clare? She __________ very pleased to see you. 8 Why didn't you do the exam? I'm sure you ____________ it. 9 In an ideal world, everybody _________enough to eat.
36.3	Each sentence on the right follows a sentence on the left. Which follows which? 1 I'd like to go to Australia one day. a It wouldn't have been very nice. 1 C 2 I wouldn't like to live on a busy road. b It would have been fun. 2 3 I'm sorry the trip was cancelled c It would be nice. 3 4 I’m looking forward to going out tonight. d It won't be much fun. 4 5 I’m glad we didn't go out in the rain. e It wouldn't be very nice. 5 6 I'm not looking forward to the trip. f It will be fun. 6
36.4	Write sentences using promised +would/wouldn't. 1 I wonder why Laura is late. __She promised she wouldn’t be late ______ 2 I wonder why Steve hasn't called me. He promised ________________________ 3 Why did you tell Jane what I said? You ________________________ 4 I'm surprised they didn't wait for us. They ________________________
36.5	Complete the sentences. Use wouldn't+ a suitable verb. 1 I tried to warn him, but he ___wouldn’t listen _____to me. 2 I asked Amanda what had happened, but she _____ me. 3 Paul was very angry about what I'd said and ______ to me for two weeks. 4 Martina insisted on carrying all her luggage. She _________________ me help her
36.6	These sentences are about things that often happened in the past. Complete the sentences using would +these verbs: forget       help      shake     share      walk 1 Whenever Richard was angry, he ____would walk _____ out of the room. 2 We used to live next to a railway line. Every time a t rain went past , the house _______ 3 Alan was a very kind man. He always ______you ________ if you had a problem. 4 Katherine was always very generous. She didn't have much, but she _____ what she had with everyone else 5 You could never rely on Joe. It didn't matter how many times you reminded him to do something, he _______ always _________

ANSWER KEY

36.1 Example answers: 2 I wouldn't like to be a teacher. 3 I'd love to learn to fly a plane. 4 It would be nice to have a big garden. 5 I'd like to go to Mexico. 36.2 2 'd enjoy /would enjoy 3 'd have enjoyed /would have enjoyed 4 would you do 5 'd have stopped /would have stopped 6 would have been 7 'd be I would be 8 'd have passed I would have passed 9 would have 36.3 2 e 3 b 4 f 5 a 6 d 36.4 2 He promised he'd call. /... he would call. 3 You promised you wouldn't tell her. 4 They promised they'd wait (for us). /…they would wait. 36.5 2 wouldn't tell 3 wouldn't speak 4 wouldn't let 36.6 2 would shake 3 would always help 4 would share 5 would always forget