Understanding and Using Modal Verbs: Understanding and Using Modal Verbs (#29)

The English modal verbs are often challenging for learners
of English. This happens for many reasons, including both
grammar and meaning.

In this Hint, we'll look at more about would.

The modal auxiliary would (negative would not, which is
often contracted to wouldn't) has several uses. One of them
is in making a kind of "artificial past" for will in indirect
(reported) speech.

Another use for would is in making polite requests. Requests
with would are "softer" than requests with will in the same
way that requests with could are "softer" than requests with
can. When would (and could) are used in this way, the time
does not change: it's still present or future. The only change
is in the "softness": requests with would (and could) are
more polite, deferential, and indirect than requests with will
(and can).

Examples: