Level: Two
Day 3: Willingness and Request,
Planning, Prediction
Today,
we are going to talk more about the different modal verbs
with similar meaning. Let’s master the usage of modal verbs for other functions!
Request and Willingness: Will, Would and
Shall
Daniel: Will you marry me?
Anna: Yes, I will.
à In the above example, Daniel is
asking Anna to marry him. He is
making a request. And Anna shows her willingness to
marry Daniel in her reply.
In
many situations, people want to know about others’ willingness to do something. They express a request and expect the
listener to reply expressing willingness to do what is
requested.
We use will,
would or shall to
talk about request and willingness.
Ø
When
expressing willingness, would also
presents the meanings found with will, but the
events happened in the past.
Denise: Will you help me?
Joy: Don’t worry.
I will help you.
à Denise wants to know whether
Joy is willing to help her. Meanwhile, Joy is eager
to help Denise.
Miranda
hoped her mother would buy the doll if she
asked for it.
à Would is used to talk about the
mother’s willingness to buy the doll; but this
happened in the past.
Ø
If
we ask about someone’s willingness to do something in a very polite way, we use
would
instead of will.
Would
you do me a favour?
à ask whether someone is eager to do the favour in a more
polite way
‘Would you…’ is usually used
for expressing requests and offers.
Ø
Shall is often used as a first person
substitute for will.
So,
shall also presents the sense of willingness found with will.
I am arranging the seating plan
for the banquet. Will
Joe sit with Henry?
I think he will not. They don’t like
each other.
Shall we dance?
Exercise
Fill in
each blank with will, would or shall.
1.
He
________ not do so unless you ask him to do so.
2.
I
__________ help you if you like.
3.
She
told us that she ______________ like to work in other departments.
4.
I
_______________ do what I can do, I promise.
5.
Last
year, Peter told me that he ____________ like to study Anthropology. So, how is he this year?
6.
Please
don’t be mad at me. ___________ we talk for a while?
Planning: Will, Would and Shall
Ø
When
we talk about a future event that is planned or is going to happen, we usually
use the modal verb will.
Sally, I will pick you up for dinner at 7pm.
à The speaker is planning to pick Sally up this evening.
Ø
Would is the past tense form of will. Would also presents the sense of
planning found with will, but the events
happened in the past.
Yesterday, he said
he would arrive before eleven o’clock,
but in fact he arrived at noon.
Ø
Shall is often used as a first person
substitute for will.
So, shall also presents the sense of
planning found with will.
We
shall arrive at eleven o’clock. Please wait for
us.
Exercise
Fill in
the blank with will, would or shall.
1.
Peter
_________ hand in the report later today.
2.
She
____________ be in England by next week.
3.
Mother
is sick, so my sister ______________ make dinner tonight.
4.
I
am so tired, I ___________ go to bed earlier tonight.
5.
I
knew he _______________ be late.
6.
Last
week, Judy said she ________ go to Shanghai on
Friday. Did
she actually go to Shanghai?
7.
According
to the schedule, the project ________ end in May.
8.
I
__________ leave Hong Kong right after Christmas.
Prediction
Ø
When
we talk about something which is very likely to happen, we use will.
If you put the
coat on, you will be warmer.
à It is highly predictable that
the hearer is very likely to be warmer
after putting the coat on.
It has stopped
raining now. The weather will be nice.
à The speaker predicts that the
weather is very likely to be nice.
Ø
Would is the past tense form of will. Would
also presents the meaning of prediction found with will, but
the events happened in the past.
They
wondered what would happen to them.
Ø
Shall is often used as a first person
substitute for will.
So,
shall also presents the meaning of prediction found
with will.
I shall have finished the homework before dinner.
Ø
We
also use must
to talk about something that is very likely to happen. However, differing from the use
of will,
would and
shall,
‘must’ is usually used to express a
logical prediction or conclusion based on a past or present event.
The light is on,
so someone must be using the room.
à The speaker makes a logical prediction/conclusion based on what he or she sees.
Exercise
Choose will, would, shall or must.
1.
It’s
a long flight; you _____________ be tired after such a long journey.
a.
must
b.
will
c.
would
d.
shall
2.
He
got the job at last, so he
__________ be excited right now.
a.
must
b.
will
c.
would
d.
shall
3.
After
hearing the unfortunate news, you ____________ be very
unhappy now.
a.
must
b.
will
c.
would
d.
shall
4.
The
train ______________ arrive soon.
a.
must
b.
will
c.
would
d.
shall
5.
The
plant ______________ die if you don’t water it
frequently.
a.
must
b.
will
c.
would
d.
shall
6.
She
has almost finished the proposal, so you _______________ receive it
tonight.
a.
must
b.
will
c.
would
d.
shall
7.
If
there is poisonous gas in this room, all of us
______________ die.
a.
must
b.
will
c.
would
d.
shall
8.
They
wondered what ________________ happen to them.
a.
must
b.
will
c.
would
d.
shall