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Will vs. Would

Express attitudes of determination, willingness or disappointment

Will – determination

WILL
Besides expressing future time, will can also express volition (determination) or willingness (happy to help without needing persuasion).
WILL	PLAIN FORM VERB
I will	win this singing contest! (determination)
I will	sing anything they would like. (willingness)
I will	sing my best! (willingness, determination)
*I would	win that singing contest! (*not used anymore for a past wish)
*Would	that we had won that contest. (*not used anymore for a past wish)

OTHER EXPRESSIONS
Similar meanings may be expressed with the following expressions: be determined, be decided on, resolve (to), set one's mind (to).
EXPRESSION	INFINITIVE / GERUND FORM
I am determined	to win this singing contest!
I agree	to sing anything they would like.
I intend	to sing my best!
I have set my mind to	winning this singing contest!

determination (N) – trying to do something even when it is difficult
impress (V) – make others think favorably about someone or something
mind over matter (expression) – effect a change with the mind (e.g., "If you will try (volition) , it will happen (future)."
volition (N) – a determination to do something, happening by the use of ones' mind or will-power
Note will is both a modal verb expressing future, and will is a lexical verb: She willed herself to continue on through her illness.
Also see Grammar Notes (modals).

Will not / Would not

Express unwillingness or failure

Won't – be unwilling (refusal)

WILL NOT / WON'T
Will not or won't expresses the idea of being unwilling to do something or being determined not to do something (refusal).
PRESENT
The judges won't vote for me.
The head judge won't let me sing another song.
I won't leave the stage! I will not leave the stage! (emphasis on "not")
PAST
The judges wouldn't vote for me.
They wouldn't let me sing another song.
I wouldn't leave the stage.

OTHER WORDS
Similar meanings may be expressed with be opposed to, be against, disapprove of, would rather not, decline (unwilling), refuse, give a firm "no", or say "over my dead body".

The judges are unwilling / reluctant to vote for me.
The head judge is unwilling / refuses to let me sing another song.
I refuse to leave the stage!
PAST
The judges were unwilling / refused to vote for me.
The judges were unwilling / refused to let me sing another song.
I was unwilling / refused to leave the stage!

Would / Would have

Express disappointment with an outcome

Failed intent vs. Reporting failed intent

FAILED INTENT
We use would have to express that an intended outcome did not happen. Optionally, we include a but-clause (a coordinate) with a reason or excuse for the failure or disappointment. The but-clause can also be omitted, especially when the reason can be guessed from context.
MAIN CLAUSE	COORDINATE CLAUSE
WOULD HAVE + VERB	BUT + CLAUSE
I would have done better, I wish I had done better. (disappointment)	but my voice cracked.
They would have let me sing another song,	but there wasn't enough time.
I would have cried on the stage,	but I held back my tears until I was off stage. (if not for holding back my tears)

REPORTING FAILED INTENT
Would is often used in a subordinate clause for tense agreement. After verbs expressing expectation (e.g., hoped, expected, feared) or speech (said), the modal will is changed to would to reflect the time-frame of the verb in the main clause. Sometimes would just marks the tense, but it can also express doubt or disappointment. A reason or excuse is optional.
MAIN CLAUSE	SUBORDINATE CLAUSE	COORDINATE CLAUSE
MOMENT OF THOUGHT	WOULD + VERB	BUT + CLAUSE
I hoped that	I would do well,	but my voice cracked. (excuse)
I expected that	they would let me sing another song,	but there was little time left. (excuse)
I feared that	my voice would crack,	but it didn't.
MOMENT OF SPEAKING	WOULD + VERB	COORD + CLAUSE
I said that	I would do my best,	and I did. / but I didn't.

"voice cracked" – went off-pitch (Adj) – not producing the sound of the musical notes

Will

Two Meanings: Willing & Future

Willpower or Future?

LEXICAL VERB
Will by itself is a verb expresses (1) "cause something to happen by thinking about it very hard" (willing, choosing, or resolving) or (2) "give possessions or property after death in a legal document (testament)".
CAUSE SOMETHING TO HAPPEN BY AN ACT OF WILL
He wills himself to get up and go to work everyday. (determines his action)
The magician willed the woman to float in the air. (cause to happen by an act of determination)
To will is not enough, one must do. (This is a saying.)
BEQUEATH – GIVE PROPERTY AFTER DEATH
He willed his house to his children.
The elderly woman willed her entire estate to her cat.

MODAL VERB
Will more commonly expresses (1) a future action, activity, or event that we think, guess, or predict will happen; or (2) determining oneself to so something, "effecting change by the use of one's mind or will power".
FUTURE
If he knows what is good for him, he will force himself to get up and go to work. (He will will himself to go to work.)
After the magician pulls a rabbit out of his hat, he will make woman to float in the air. (He will will her to float in the air.)

FUTURE
He will leave his house to his children when he dies. (He will will his house to his children.)
Upon her death, she will transfer ownership of her assets to her cat.

assets (N) – all that one owns; things that can be sold (e.g., house, possessions, stocks, land)
determine (oneself) (V) – something we decide to do even if it is difficult

dynamic modal use → the subject's own ability or willingness to act. (Dynamic modality does not express the speaker's opinion, nor does the speaker affect the situation.) I will prepare lunch. [intention, plan] . I will have lunch. [volition] Who will make lunch? I will. [willingness]

lexical verb → the subject performs an action (The verb accepts 'do support'.) Does the king will this to happen? . He can walk if he wills it. [wish] . His grandfather willed the house to his son. [gave after death]

Common Mistakes

Errors and Solutions

Error and Solution

ERROR
*I will be six-feet tall. (not within one's willpower)
*He willed to take a vacation. (missing receiver or object)

SOLUTION
I will be on time. (willpower) I will be six-feet tall when I am fully grown. (prediction)
He willed his boss to give him vacation time. He wanted to take a vacation,

SOLUTION

I will be on time. (willpower)

I will be six-feet tall when I am fully grown. (prediction)

He willed his boss to give him vacation time.

He wanted to take a vacation,

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Grammar Notes (Advanced)

Grammar Descriptions

Traditional / ESL and Linguistic Descriptions

AZAR / BIBER	HUDDLESTON / SWAN
AZAR	HUDDLESTON
Will – "Willingness" willingness → The phone is ringing. I'll get it. refusal → The car won't start. (inanimate) She will not tell me. (animate) Will (not be going to) is used to express willingness. In this case, will expresses a decision the spaker makes at the moment of speaking. (Azar 4-2)	Modality (3 §9.2.2) See Modality for epistemic, deontic, and dynamic examples. volition (dynamic) → He will be back at 2:00. (shall) (3 §9.6) refusal (dynamic) → He won't help us. intention vs. willingness → I've asked her to help, but she's not going to. (intention) I've asked her to help, but she won't. (refusal)
BIBER	SWAN
Will There is no formal future tense in English. (6.2.1.3) Modals and semi-modals can be grouped into three categories: (485) permission/ possibility / ability: can, could, may, might obligation / necessity: must, should, had better, have (got) to, need to ought to, be supposed to volition / prediction: will, would, shall, be going to Semi-modals → be going (to), ought (to), have (to), need (to), had better, have got (to), be supposed (to)	Will "will and shall (interpersonal uses)" (217) willingness, or announce a decision → Can somebody help me? ~ I will.(629.4) firm intention, a promise, a threat → I really will stop smoking. (629.4) unwillingness or refusal → She won't open the door.(629.4) Would cannot refer to a past refusal. She would open the door. [past routine] instructions and orders → Will you get me a tissue? (Would is a more polite request.) (217.6)

Works Cited

Azar, Betty Schrampfer, and Stacy A. Hagen. Understanding and Using English Grammar. 4th ed., Pearson Education, 2009.
Biber, Douglas, and Stig Johansson, et al. Longman Grammar Of Spoken And Written English. Pearson Education, 1999.
Huddleston, Rodney D., and Geoffrey K. Pullum. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge UP, 2002.
Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. 3rd ed., Oxford UP, 2005.

Practice 1

Willing & Unwilling

Complete the sentence.

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "Check" or the "Check 1-10" button.

My parents wanted me to take my nose ring out, but I .

Feedback 1

I my nose ring in!

Feedback 2

I knew that they to my nose ring.

object (V) - oppose, speak against someone or something

Feedback 3

They worry that I tattoos as well.

Feedback 4

In fact, I a tattoo on my ankle.

Feedback 5

But I my face because I don't like pain.

Feedback 6

I off my nose ring at family dinners.

Feedback 7

My parents thought that taking if off for family dinners very nice.

Feedback 8

I promised that I wear it in front of my grandmother either.

Feedback 9

10.

As a teenager, I have to draw the line between what I and what I do.

Feedback 10

Practice 2

The Right Motivation

Complete the paragraph.

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Afterwards, compare your responses to the answers by clicking the "check" button.

11-15.

My grandmother was a very adventurous woman, but not when it came to using the Internet. We told her that she could send email, shop, read news articles, and so much more, but she have anything to do with computers. Then, her first grandchild was born. Because she lived four hours away from us, we told her, "If you to use a computer, you will miss the opportunity to see with your grandson everyday." She made up her mind and said, "I how to use a computer even if it takes all year." It was very difficult for her, but she never said "can't". After a few video-chats with her grandson, she was "on board" with the Internet. She said, "I this earlier, but I didn't understand how useful it is." She added, "Now I myself how to 'grog'." (I think she meant "blog".)