Page 47 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

W i l l and w o u l d : h a b i t s ; u s e d t o
Will
used
to
habits;
a n d would:
use
present)
behaviour
the
will
We
talk
characteristic
We can use will (for the present) and would (for the past) to talk about characteristic behaviour oror
to
can
(for
(for
would
the
about
past)
and
habits, or about things that are or were always true:
things
or
true:
are
that
about
habits,
or
were
always
• * Every day Dan will come home from work and turn on the TV.
work
home
turn
Dan
will
on
the
day
come
TV.
and
Every
from
• During the war, people would eat all kinds of things that we don't eat now.
people
*
we
During
don't
kinds
war,
now.
that
things
all
eat
of
the
would
eat
A baby will
its mother's voice
it
is
born.
recognise
*
soon
• A baby will recognise its mother's voice soon afterafter it is born.
• * EarlyEarly passengerpassenger planes wouldn't hold more than 30 passengers.
wouldn't hold
30
planes
than
passengers.
more
way
We
particular
Compare:
occasion
a
past.
about
this
don't
We don't use would in this way to talktalk about a particular occasion in the past. Compare:
in
use would
to
the
in
• Each time I gave him a problem he would solve it for me. andand
solve
for
him
it
would
me.
gave
*
problem
a
I
time
Each
he
• * Last night I gave him a problem and he solved it for me. {not{not ...he would solve it...)
me.
it...)
him
night
a
for
...he
Last
and
would
gave
problem
solve
he
I
solved
it
In speech, we can stress will or would to criticise people's characteristic behaviour or habits:
In speech, we can stress will or would to criticise people's characteristic behaviour or habits:
will leave all the lights on in the house when she goes out.
• ¢ She will leave all the lights on in the house when she goes out.
She
backs.
left.
behind their
happy when
He
Sam
would talk about people
• * I was happy when Sam left. He would talk about people behind their backs.
JI was
When we use stressed would in this way, we can also use it to talk about a particular occasion in
When we use stressed would in this way, we can also use it to talk about a particular occasion in
the past. We suggest that what happened was predictable because it was typical of a person's
the past. We suggest that what happened was predictable because it was typical of a person's
behaviour:
behaviour:
• * ‘Jackie says she can't help because she's got a lot of work on.' 'Well she would say that - she
'Jackie says she can't help because she's got a lot of work on.' 'Well she would say that - she
excuse.'
uses
that
always
always uses that excuse.’
things that happened
now, we
repeatedly
in
the past,
but don't happen
If we want to talk about things that happened repeatedly in the past, but don't happen now, we
If we want to talk about
can use would or used to + infinitive. Used to is more common in informal English:
can use would or used to + infinitive. Used to is more common in informal English:
would /
used
to
him
money when
We
lend
he was
unemployed.
• * We would / used to lend him money when he was unemployed.
Tim would / used to visit his parents every other weekend.
• ¢ Tim would / used to visit his parents every other weekend.
would
used
to
we
not
but
states
that
changed:
past
talk
when
use
about
have
We
We use used to but not would when we talk about past states that have changed:
The factory used to be in the city centre.
n n° • The factory used to be in the city centre.
at university.
used to smoke heavily when I was
• . • * I Tused to smoke heavily when I was at university.
time
specific
or
of occasions.
mention
to
we
Compare:
we
need
set
would
a
use
When
When we use would we need to mention a specific time or set of occasions. Compare:
We
{not We would
in
• We used to playplay in the garden, (not We would play...)
to
play...)
thegarden.
+
used
Whenever we went to
would
my
the
Frank's
/
used to play
• Whenever we went to my Uncle Frank's house, we would / used to play in the garden.
in
house, we
garden.
¢
Uncle
We don't use either used to or would when we say exactly how many times something
We don't use either used to or would when we say exactly how many times something
a particular time:
or that something happened
something took,
how long
at
happened, how long something took, or that something happened at a particular time:
happened,
visited
We
times
the
Switzerland
during
ae • We visited Switzerland four times during the 1970s.
°
1970s.
four
• * • + She went on holiday to the Bahamas last week.
Bahamas
on
holiday
to
She
the
went
week.
last
and
how we
negatives
in
to
with
used
make
spoken
StudyStudy how we normallynormally make questions and negatives with used to in spoken English:
English:
questions
use to
babies?
when they were
• I didn't use to like visiting the dentist when I was young. '...didn't used to...', but some
sleep well
Did your children
were
when
they
babies?
*
well
sleep
your
children
use
to
Did
•
the
when
use
visiting
didn't
I
+
dentist
young.
was
like
I
to
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used to...'
sometimes written
...
and
are
These
as
forms
but
to...',
and
sometimes
used
to...’
used
written
some
as
‘...didn’t
These
...
forms
are
'...did‘...did
people think this is incorrect.
think
incorrect.
is
people
this
spoken
formal
more
English
following
the
However,
and
negative
in
written
following
spoken
forms
formal
question
English
and
more
However,
and
and written
the
also
this
are
form
used,
also
this
are
although
is
form
now
question
used,
rare:
•
be
{more
There
so
is There didn't
likely
{more
used
use
not
muchmuchtraffic.
is
so
There
to
*
to
likely
used not to be
use to be...)
{more
Used you to
Did you
brothers?
use
Evans
university with the
go
to...?)
to
•
to...?)
use
isis
*
Did
you
likelylikely
Evans
university
brothers?
{more
to
to
Used
the
go
with
very
in
used
people
use
to
Notice
few
Notice
few
people
nowadays very
in
to
use
used
nowadays
tags:
that
he?)
didn't
he?
used
•
He
to
usedn't
than
Australia,
didn't
...,
..., usedn't
than
forfor Australia,
*
he?
playplay
to
{rather{rather
used
He
he?)
cricket
=>
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Will: willingness =
Will: future => [RR Will: willingness =>