Would

Would + 動詞原形，所有主語都一樣。縮寫形式 'd（I'd、she'd、they'd），否定式 wouldn't。疑問句中 would 放在主語前面。

💡'd 可能是 would 也可能是 had——看後面一個詞：I'd go（動詞原形 → would），I'd gone（V3 → had），I'd better（had better）。/d/ 要讀清楚：不讀的話，“I'd like”（= 我想要）聽起來就像 “I like”（我喜歡），意思就不一樣了。

1. 假想的情況——我們想像的、不真實（或還不真實）的事

• It would be great to live near the beach, but rent there is too high.

  住在海邊一定很棒，可那裡房租太貴了。

• I'd buy that jacket, but I don't have enough money.

  我挺想買那件夾克的，但錢不夠。（但我並不會買）

• Should I text him first? — I wouldn't. Let him text you.

  我要先給他發訊息嗎？——我不會。讓他先給你發。（建議：如果我是你）

• If I had more time, I would learn the piano.

  如果我有更多時間，我會學鋼琴。

想像過去某件（沒有發生的）事，用 would have + V3——詳見“第三條件句”一課。

• You would have loved the concert last night.

  昨晚的音樂會你肯定會喜歡的。（可惜你沒去）

2. 禮貌的願望和請求——would like / would love / would prefer / would rather，以及 Would you…? 問句（另見“禮貌的願望 ‘would like’”和“請求、提議和許可”兩課）

• I'd like a glass of water, please.

  請給我一杯水。

• I'd love to come, but I'm working that day.

  我很想去，可那天我要上班。

• Would you open the window, please?

  請你把窗戶開啟好嗎？

3. 過去的習慣——反覆發生的動作（類似 used to），講故事或回憶往事時很常用

• When we were kids, my grandpa would take us fishing every Sunday.

  我們小時候，爺爺每個星期天都會帶我們去釣魚。

• Every time it rained, the street would flood.

  以前每次下雨，這條街都會被淹。

4. 從過去看將來——would 是 will 的過去形式，常跟在 said、promised、thought、knew、hoped… 後面

• Minh said he'd call me after work.

  阿明說他下班後會給我打電話。

• I knew you would understand.

  我就知道你會理解的。

• We hoped it wouldn't rain, but it did.

  我們希望不會下雨，結果還是下了。

5. Wouldn't = 不肯（過去）——某人拒絕了，或某臺機器不工作

• I asked him to slow down, but he wouldn't listen.

  我讓他開慢點，可他就是不聽。

• My motorbike wouldn't start this morning.

  今天早上我的摩托車怎麼也發動不起來。

Will 用於真的會發生的事。Would 用於想像中的事——往往是因為有什麼阻礙它發生。

• I'll lend you my car. I don't need it this week.

  我把車借給你，這週我用不著。（真實：我會借）

• I'd lend you my car, but my brother has it this week.

  我倒是想把車借給你，可這週車在我哥那兒。（想像：我借不了）

表示過去習慣的 would 需要明確的過去背景（When I was little…、Every summer…），常常出現在一個用 used to 或一般過去時的句子之後。單獨說 “I would swim in the river”，聽起來像是假想的情況（I would swim if…）。

• ✗If I won the lottery, I will buy a house.

  ✓If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.

  假想的情況（if + 過去式）→ would。

• ✗If I would know the answer, I would tell you.

  ✓If I knew the answer, I would tell you.

  if 從句用過去式；would 放在結果句裡。

• ✗She said she will help me, but she never came.

  ✓She said she would help me, but she never came.

  過去做出的承諾（said）→ would。

• ✗When I was young, I would have long hair.

  ✓When I was young, I used to have long hair.

  would 不用於狀態 → 用 used to。

• ✗I would like go home now.

  ✓I would like to go home now.

  would like + to 不定式（但 would rather + 動詞原形，不加 to）。

• ✗Would you like some tea? — Yes, I'd.

  ✓Yes, I would.

  肯定的簡略回答不用縮寫。