Five ways to use would

Hi, this is Finn. Now I know you are all busy people. So in this BBC English Class, I’m going to teach you five ways to use wood. No, not that kind of wood. The word would W-O-U-L-D. let’s do this in 90 seconds as usual.

Five ways to use would .

Number one: for conditionals.

So it’s used in the second and third conditional, for example: “I would memorise these sentences, if I were you!”

Number two: would for the future in the past.

Think about this: “When you started learning English you knew you would be fluent one day.” ‘You knew’ - in the past, ‘you would be fluent’ - you’re thinking about the future at that time.

Number three: would is used in reported speech.

So, if I say: “I will teach you how to use would,” you could say: “Finn said he would teach us how to use would.”

Number four: for repetition in the past.

“I would always make mistakes until I learned these examples.”

Number five: would for polite requests

It makes things a bit less direct if you say: “Would you try a little harder please?” than if you say “Will you try a little harder please?”

OK. There we are. Five ways:

Conditionals

Future in the past

Reported speech

Repetition in past

Polite requests

And there we are. Do you remember how to use all of them? Why not try to make your own sentences to remember them?

Now, how many ways can I use this piece of wood? See you.