Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

WILL AND WOULD

391

Would

functions as a more formal or polite alternative to will in requests:

Would you excuse me just one second?

(heard as more polite than: Will you excuse me just one second?)

Would you look after my seat for me please?

Will

and would can both refer to willingness, with would functioning in past time

contexts:

Josh says he

’ll do it for you.

When he was at home, his mother 

wouldn’t allow him to go out anywhere and

do anything. 

However, would is not used to refer to someone’s willingness to do something on

a specific occasion in a past time context:

I suggested she came on her own, and she finally 

agreed to it. 

(I suggested she came on her own, and she finally would.)