Page 45 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

w i n a i m w u u i u : w i n i i i y i i u b b , I I K U I I I I U U U a i m
c e r t a i n t y

We use will (or '11) when we talk about WILLINGNESS to do something (e.g. in offers, invitations,
requests, and orders) and will not (or won't) when we talk about UNWILLINGNESS to do
something (e.g. reluctance, refusal):
• I'll give you another opportunity to get the correct answer.
• Mum! Sue won't give me back my pencil case.
Notice that we can also talk about the refusal of a thing to work in the way it should:
• The top won't come off. • The key won't fit the lock.
To talk about general or repeated willingness in the past we can sometimes use would, but we
can't use would in this way to talk about a particular occasion in the past. Compare:
• Whenever I had to go to town, Ron would give me a lift. (= repeated)
• I was late, so Ron gave me a lift to town, (not ...Ron would give me...) (= particular occasion)
However, we can use would not either when we talk about unwillingness in general or about a
particular occasion. Compare:
• We thought that people wouldn't / would buy the book. (= general)
• She wouldn't say what was wrong when I asked, (not ...would say...) (= particular occasion)

We use will (or won't) to indicate that we think a present or future situation is CERTAIN:
• You will know that John and Sheila are engaged. (= you already know)
• 'Shall I ask Sandra?' 'No, don't disturb her - she'll be working.'
• We won't see them again before Christmas.

^ we want to indicate that we think a past situation (seen from either a present or future
•viewpoint) is certain, we use will (or won't) have + past participle (see also Unit 15C):

The past seen from a present viewpoint
As you will have noticed, he has cut off They will have reached home by now.
his beard.

...you noticed... past .they reached home... past

x x
now now

The past seen from a future viewpoint

Next Thursday, I will have owned my When the trees are all cut down, something
present car for exactly 20 years. of great value will have been lost.
future ...owned for 20 years... future ...something...lost...

x x x x
now next Thursday now trees all cut down

When we want to indicate that we think an unreal past situation - that is, an imaginary situation
or a situation that might have happened in the past, but didn't (see also Unit 99) - is certain we
use would have + past participle:
to
I • I would have been happy been see him, he but I didn't have time. of you today.
very
alive,
felt
have
would
proud
still
had
father
If your
•
• My grandmother wouldn't have approved of the exhibition.
^
Will: future => ^ Д Д Will: habits => ДЦ] Would have in conditionals => ШДП