ENGLISH NOTE 16 " WOULD"

ENGLISH NOTE.  " WOULD"

Today I am discussing the use of " WOULD" another modal verb.

1. In high school , you have learnt to transform direct speech into indirect speech . While doing so, " will " is replaced by " would ".

He said," Tomorrow , I will return your book "

He said that he would return my book the next day.


2.  To express what one imagines, " WOULD" can be used.

I think that space travel would be very common in the next century.

On seeing what is happening in the present day India, Mahatma Gandhi would turn in his grave.

3. To express what something will happen if some other thing happens, WOULD is used.

If government rationalizes the tax rates, there would be an improvement in the buoyancy in revenue.

If Mr. X is elected as the Prime Minister of our country , it would be a great disaster.


4. To express past habits , we can use " WOULD"

When we were kids, mom would take us to the swimming pool everyday .

During my Pune days, I would never miss my evening French classes.

5. To express future in the past, we can use , WOULD.

Mahatma Gandhi would go to England to become a barrister. A man not given to prevarication, the profession of a  lawyer defending commercial firms would not suit him. However , he would take up legal profession in South Africa where he would have a firsthand  experience of racism . That would awaken his conscience and prepare him for a greater role in his country and in the world.

6. For polite requests, we can use , " WOULD"

Would you mind opening the window ?

Would you lend me your newspaper ?

7. Use of " Would rather" . This expression followed by an infinitive of a verb without " to" is used to express preference .

Would you come with me to watch a movie this evening ?

I would rather stay at home.


8.  Would rather+ subject + past tense

The above structure can be used when a person prefers another person  or other persons to do something . The following examples may be carefully noted.

Mother says , " I would rather John stayed at home. It is raining heavily ."
I'd rather John stayed at home . It is raining heavily .

I would rather you came next Sunday . You know , I am going to Delhi this Sunday .

Short form " I 'd".

Kindly note that even though in the above examples the verbs 6coming after " rather" have a past tense form , the action would either be in the present as in the first example or in future as in the second example.

Suppose the action is in past , then we may use " past perfect " after " rather".


I would rather he hadn't telephoned me.

I would rather John had not joined law college.

But in modern English , the above idea is expressed using " wish".

I wish John hadn't joined law college

He'd rather Alice married next year. ( Here the meaning is that he prefers Alice to get married next year . Future sense.)

He'd rather Alice had not married Martin.

The meaning is that Alice got married to Martin . But he does not like it. So the sense is past. Something happened . Fait accomplit. But he does not like what had happened.


That is all for now.

Happy learning .

Sayee Jayaraman

26/02/2015