3.2 Willingness and Intent

1. Section A

2. In informal conversation, we use will to make offers,
promises, or general statements of intent. We usually
contract will to ‘ll.
you.I’ll help
I can’t understand this problem.A.
B.

3. on time tomorrow, I promise.I’ll be
You were late again todayA.
B.
No, back tomorrow.I’ll come
Do you want to stay and finish?A.
B.

4. Speakers and writers also use will in academic writing
to describe something they intend or plan to do later.
I the experiment in more detail later.will describe

5. Section B

6. A counterfactual statement can describe something
that will not happen. We would use would (not) to
describe something that someone wants to do.
you, but I just don’t have any time.I’d help
(This means, “I want to help you but I can’t.”)

7. We would also use would (not) to describe the results
of something that has not been done.
Following this plan
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
would reduce
(This means, “This plan hasn’t been followed.”)

8. Section C

9. We can also use counterfactual statements about the
past. We use would (not) + have + the past participle
of a main verb to describe something we were willing
to do in the past, but did not actually do.
We to the show,
but we didn’t have enough money.
would have gone
(This means, “We didn’t go to the show.”)

10. In past counterfactual statements, it is possible to
contract I would to I’d, but it is not common.
(This means, “I didn’t stay later.”)
I later, but I got too tired.would have stayed