情态动词will和would在英语语法中所表达的意思几乎相同,但是,在具体应用中还是有一定区别的:
1、表示请求、建议等,would比will委婉客气。如:
Would you pass me the book?
2、表示意志、愿望和决心。如:
I will never do that again.
我再也不会做那了。
They asked if we would do that again.
他们问到,我们是否愿意再次做那。
3、 用“will be”和“will(would) + have + 过去分词”的结构表示推测,主要用于第二、三人称。前者表示对目前情况的推测,后者表示对已经完成的动作或事态的推测。如:
This will be the book you want.
这本书应该是你想要的。
He will have arrived by now.
他现在应该已经到了。
The guests would have arrived by that time.
那时,客人们应该都到了。
I thought you would have finished this by now.
我认为你现在应该已经完成了。
4、will表示习惯、请求,固有性质等。
Everyday he will sit here hour after hour doing nothing.(习惯)
他每天就坐在那里,却什么事也不做。
Will you help me with my English?(请求)
你能帮我提高我的英语吗?
The door won't open. (固有性质)
这个门打不开。
5、Would可表示过去反复发生的动作或某种倾向。Would表过去习惯时比used to正式,并没有“现已无此习惯”的含义。如:
The wound would not heal.
这个伤口愈合不了。
During the vacation he would visit me every week.
假期里,他每个星期都会看我。
6、表料想或猜想。如:
It would be about ten when he left home.
当他离开家的时候大概是十点。
What would she be doing there?
她去哪里干什么?