We use
would (
'd) I
wouldn't when we
imagine a situation or action (= we think of something that is not real):
- It would be nice to buy a new car, but we can't afford it.
- I'd love to live by the sea.
- A: Shall I tell Chris what happened?
B: No, I wouldn't say anything.
(= I wouldn't say anything in your situation)
We use
would have (
done) when we imagine situations or actions in the past (= things that didn't happen):
- They helped us a lot. I don't know what we'd have done
(= we would have done) without their help. - I didn't tell Sam what happened. He wouldn't have been pleased.
Compare
would (
do) and
would have (
done):
- I would call Lisa, but I don't have her number. (now)
I would have called Lisa, but I didn't have her number. (past) - I'm not going to invite them to the party. They wouldn't come anyway.
I didn't invite them to the party. They wouldn't have come anyway.
We often use
would in sentences with
if (see Units 38-40):
- I would call Lisa if I had her number.
- I would have called Lisa if I'd had her number.
Compare
will (
'll) and
would (
'd):
- I'll stay a little longer. I've got plenty of time.
I'd stay a little longer, but I really have to go now. (so I can't stay longer) - I'll call Lisa. I have her number.
I'd call Lisa, but I don,t have her number. (so I can't call her)
Sometimes would/wouldn't is the past of will/won't. Compare:
| present | past |
| TOM: I'll call you on Sunday. | => Tom said he'd call me on Sunday. |
| AMY: I promise I won't be late. | => Amy promised that she wouldn't be late. |
| LISA: Damn! The car won't start. | => Lisa was annoyed because her car wouldn't start. |
Somebody
wouldn't do something = he/she refused to do it:
- I tried to warn him, but he wouldn't listen to me. (= he refused to listen)
- The car wouldn't start. (= it 'refused' to start)
You can also use
would to talk about things that happened regularly in the past:
- When we were children, we lived by the sea. In summer, if the weather was fine, we would all get up early and go for a swim. (= we did this regularly)
- Whenever Richard was angry, he would walk out of the room.
With this meaning,
would is similar to
used to (see Unit 18):
- Whenever Richard was angry, he used to walk out of the room.
