Uses of “would” in the past

“Would”

is a modal verb, and it can be used in the following situations:

• • To create the future tense in the past
  • Polite requests
  • To express desires
  • To express preferences
  • To create conditional sentences
  • In combination with “that”

-> Today we are gonna focus on “to create the future tense in the past”. First, it’s a very complex name, how you’ll create a future tense in the past? To be more clear, let me give you examples Maria and John on December 1st made plans to go out. So they agreed to meet each other in a restaurant at 5pm on December 4th. December 4th comes and Maria arrives at the restaurant at 5pm, but John isn’t there. Where is John? He is late. Maria then gets upset and thinks: I thought he would be here by now – meaning: in the past when they agreed to meet on that date and time, and also a little before she arrived Maria thought that John was going to be there on time. But he wasn’t, so because she thought (or even expected) John to be on time, she used “would” to indicate a past action reflecting a future possibility. Did that clarify things?

When to use “would” in the past:

1. 1. For future possibilities, expectations, intentions, inevitability that began in the past.

Examples:

• • I thought he would be here by now
  • I agreed that he would go to the soccer game
  • Maria guesses that Maroon 5 would come to Texas

Explanations: The second example says “I agreed that he would go to the soccer game”, so let’s name the characters. Joana is 35 years old and has a son named Carlos. Carlos is 7 and loves soccer. Carlos finds out that his favorite soccer team is playing in his city and is eager to seem them in the stadium. He asks his mom Joana but she doesn’t have time to take him, so sadly she says no. Carlos’ friend also loves soccer and is going to the game, and offers to take Carlos with him. So, Joana agrees that he could go. Carlos, super happy goes and tells his friend: my mom agreed that I would go to the soccer game. Joana agreed on in the past, and now Carlos is reporting (in the future) to his friend what his mom agreed on. It was a future inevitability that began in the past. “Maria guesses that Maroon 5 would come to Texas” In 2005 Maria guessed that in the future the band Maroon 5 would go to Texas. It was a expectation that started in the past about what could happen in the future! See more examples “He said he would kill me” “You knew it would be here” 2. Past ability and willingness Certain expressions of a person or thing’s ability or willingness to do something in the past (They are usually negative). Examples:

• • My laptop wouldn’t turn on this morning
  • Laura’s daughter wouldn’t say hi to me last night
  • Trixie, Alex’s cat, wouldn’t stop meowing all night last night

So let’s analyse the example:

• • My laptop wouldn’t turn on this morning

Paul has a laptop and he uses for work and studying. Paul had an important assignment to submit to school and the due date was this morning. But Paul’s laptop didn’t turn on, so he couldn’t submit his homework. Pauls gets frustrated and tells a friend his frustrations: I am so frustrated, I couldn’t submit my work because my laptop wouldn’t turn on. A past event that express a past ability, or the lack of it. His laptop didn’t have the ability to turn on because it was broken! More example: “-What’s going on? – – You’re just getting back?” “Matt’s car wouldn’t start.3” 3. Likelihood and certainty Express likelihood or certainty of  something Examples:

• • Someone was making loud noises last night
    • That would be my loud cat messing around
  • That would be why I couldn’t sleep last night
  • Then I don’t sleep enough, I get cranky
    • That would not be good!

Analysis:

• • Paul: Someone was making loud noises last night
    • Martha: That would be my loud cat messing around: 

Martha knew for sure that the reason why Paul couldn’t sleep last night was because of her cat’s  meowing. Because she was certain she used “would”.

• • Carla: When I don’t sleep enough, I get cranky
    • Aly: That would not be good!

Aly is certain, sure that when Carla gets cranky (in a bad mood) she is not fun to be around, so she knows it’s not a good thing. Because she knows she says: “would not” More examples: “-Now which one of you sardines called this meeting?” “-That would be me” Would + Have Express something that did not happen in the past (conditional) Examples:

• • She would have said yes
  • Maria would have eaten if she wasn’t so busy
  • If the company had told us, I would have gone to the event
  • “Had I known you were coming, I would have cooked your favorite dish.” 

Analysis: “If the company had told us, I would have gone to the event” Conditional sentence; it expresses something that did not happen in the past.  The first clause: “If the company had told us” is a conditional clause, expressing the condition for something to had happen in the past The second clause: “I would have gone to the event” is the main clause and express the result.

• What would happen if the company had told us?
  • I  would have gone to the event

More examples: “-Dean would’ve eaten this –Yes, he would have.” That’s it from me today, I hope you were able to learn a little. Thank you for reading and learning with me. There is a  podcast  on this matter as well, so check it out, it’s a way to practice both listening and speaking. I am also on  Instagram  and  Youtube ! Click and follow me there to learn more English.