Understanding and Using Modal Verbs: Understanding and Using Modal Verbs (#32)

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 continue to look at would.

The modal auxiliary would (negative would not, which is
often contracted to wouldn't) has several uses, among them
making a kind of "artificial past" for will in indirect (reported)
speech, making polite requests, showing the meaning "want"
with the common expression would like, and in making
unreal conditional sentences in present or future time.

Another use for would is in referring to repeated past
actions (but not past states or conditions). When would
is used in this special way, a time adverbial is needed to
make it clear that the time is past.

Examples:

When I was a boy, my grandmother would
tell me stories.

(In the past, my grandmother told me stories
many times.)

In my last job, my boss would often give me
special assignments.

(My last boss gave me special assignments
many times.)

During Sam's years in the university, he would
often stay up all night studying for exams.

(When Sam studied in the university, he stayed up
all night studying for exams many times.)

When Chuck's parents were alive, they would
call him almost every weekend.

(In the past, Chuck's parents called him many times
during weekends.)

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Special Notes: