Would
When you use 'would', imagine you are in the position of the person who will do the action and say what would you do?
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It is an event in the future.
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The speaker imagines the subject will do the action.
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They say what the speaker 'would' do.
Explain
Subject + would + present form verb + noun / noun phrase
What should I have tonight?
Menu
Fish and chips
cheeseburger
pizza
Past
Now
Future
Jackie would have the cheeseburger.
Jackie
Steven would have the pizza.
Steven
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It is an event tonight.
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The speaker imagines what Jackie and Steven will have.
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They say what the speaker 'would' have.
Which dress should I wear tomorrow night?
Past
Now
Future
tomorrow night
I would wear the red dress.
I would wear the green dress.
Tom: Hey Jasmine.
Jasmine: Hi Tom. How are you?
Tom: I'm well thanks. I'm very excited about my holiday next month.
Jasmine: Where are you going?
Tom: I'm going to London. Have you been to London?
Jasmine: Yes, I've been twice. Have you been?
Tom: No, I've never been. Where should I go?
Tom
I could go to the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral or Westminster Abbey.
Past
Now
Future
I would go to The Tower of London.
Jasmine
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It is an event next month.
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Jasmine imagines where she would go.
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They say where they 'would' go if they go to London.
Contraction
I would = I'd
She would = She'd
It would = It'd
They would = They'd
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You cannot contract proper nouns
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Jasmine would = Jasmine would
Steven would = Steve would
Vocabulary
Verbs
Practice
Subject + would + present form verb + noun / noun phrase
1. I want to go from Monument to Blackfriars. How do I do that?
I would take the Circle or District line.
2. How should I get from Oxford Street to Liverpool Street?
I would take the Central line.
3. How can I get from Charing Cross to St. Paul's?
I would take the Northern line to Tottenham Court Road.
Then, I would change at Tottenham Court Road for the Central Line to St. Paul's.
4. How can I get from King's Cross to Bond Street?
I would take the Victoria line to Oxford Circus.
Then, I would change there to the Central Line for Bond Street.
5. I need to get from Baker Street to Moorgate. Which way should I go?
Answer
I would take the Metropolitan, Circle or Hammersmith and City line to Moorgate.
6. How should I get from Holborn to Old Street?
Answer - take / Piccadilly Line
I would take the Piccadilly Line to Kings Cross.
Answer -
Then / change / Northern Line
Then I would change to the Northern Line for Old Street.
Practice 2
A: How should I get to the London Eye from Buckingham Palace?
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B: I would walk from Buckingham Palace to the London Eye.
A: How should I get to Oxford Street from Shakespeare's Globe?
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B: I would walk to Bank Station. Then I would take the Central Line.
A: How should I get to the Palace of Westminster from Trafalgar Square?
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B: from / the Palace of Westminster / walk / I / to / Trafalgar Square / would
Answer
I would walk to the Palace of Westminster from Trafalgar Square.
A: I want to go from Hyde Park to the Gherkin. How should I do that?
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B: take / would / Piccadilly Line / Holborn / to / I / the
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change / the Central Line / Then, / and / take / to / that / would / I / for / Bank.
to / would / Bank / I / walk / the / from / Gherkin / from
Answer
I would take the Piccadilly Line to Holborn.
Then, I would change for the Central Line and take that to Bank.
I would walk to the Gherkin from Bank.
I would...but...
A very useful phrase is: I would ____ but ____.
Subject + would + verb + noun / noun phrase + but + reason why you can not do it
Past
Now
Future
tomorrow night
I would wear a yellow dress tomorrow night but I do not have one.
Examples
I would wear the red dress but I don't have any shoes.
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I would walk but my feet hurt.
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I would take the Central Line but it is late.
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I would read more books but don't have the time.
Would - negative
Subject + would + not + present form verb + noun / noun phrase
Which dress should I wear tomorrow night?
Past
Now
Future
tomorrow night
I would not wear the yellow dress.
I would not wear the black dress.
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It is an event tomorrow night.
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The speakers imagine what they will not wear.
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They say what they 'would not' wear.
Practice
A: Can I walk from Baker Street to Piccadilly Circus?
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B: I wouldn't walk. I'd take the Bakerloo Line from Baker Street to Piccadilly Circus.
A: Can we walk from Oxford Circus to Bank?
Answer - I ___ . I would____.
I wouldn't walk. I would take the Central Line.
A: Can we walk from Angel to Piccadilly Circus?
Answer - I ___ . I would walk to___ and then___.
I wouldn't walk. I would walk to Kings Cross and then take the Piccadilly Line to Piccadilly Circus.
We can add a reason 'why' we would not do something using 'because':
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I wouldn't walk to Piccadilly Circus because it would take 45 minutes.
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I wouldn't walk to Bank because it would take too long.
I wouldn't ...because...
I wouldn't walk to Bank because it would take too long.
The first part explains what the the speaker 'would not' do. They would not walk to Bank.
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The second part explains why. They say doing 'it' (walking to Bank) would take too long.
Would - closed questions (?)
Would + subject + present form verb + noun / noun phrase
Past
Now
Future
Would you have the pizza?
I would have the pizza because it's the most delicious thing on the menu.
Practice
A: Would you take the Bakerloo Line from Regents Park to Oxford Circus?
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B: No. I'd walk there.
Answer - walk
Would you walk from Chancery Lane to Bond Street?
No, I'd take the Central Line.
Would - open questions (?)
Question word + would + subject + present form verb + noun / noun phrase
These are great questions because they can be fun.
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They ask about an event in the future
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The event is hypothetical
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It does not have to be real
Past
Now
Future
A: Where would you go in the world?
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B: I'd go to China because I love the food.
Practice
A: How would I get from Warren Street to Green Park.
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B: I would take the Victoria Line.
Answer - How
How would I get from Holborn to Covent Garden?
I'd walk. They are close.
Other examples open questions:
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Which book would you read next?
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Where in Europe would you visit next?
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Who would you invite to your birthday party?
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Which restaurant would you go to?
Would or Should?
Would - hypothetical
Should - advice
Which dress should I wear?
I would wear the yellow dress.
You should wear the yellow dress.
What's the difference?
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When you say 'would' you are saying what the subject would do if it was them.
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When you say 'should' you are offering advice to or for that person.
Menu
Fish and chips
cheeseburger
pizza
What should I have?
I would have the pizza.
You should have the Fish and Chips.
Bee is talking to people at the hotel.
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Bee: Good morning. Can you help me please? I want to go from Westminster Abbey to the Tower of London.
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Hotel employee: Of course. I would take the District Line to Tower Hill and then you should walk from there.
