1、用于过去将来时,如:
He said he would come. 他说他要来。
He said that he would be forty on his next birthday. 他说到下次生日他就四十岁了。
2、用来表示愿意/ 偏要/肯这种个人意愿,如:
He would eat nothing. 他不肯吃东西; 他什么也不愿吃。
I told him not to go, but he would not listen. 我叫他别去, 可他偏不听。
He would go in spite of our warnings. 他不听我们的劝告, 执意要去。
3、表示过去的习惯动作,如:
He would sit for hours doing nothing. 过去他常常坐几个钟头,什么事也不做。
He would come to see us on Sundays. 星期天他过去经常来看望我们。
4、表示可能性或不确定性,如:
I would be about ten when my brother left home. 我哥哥离开家时, 我大概十岁左右。
It would seem to be getting warmer. 天气似乎变得更暖和了
5、用于虚拟语气,
1)表示假设,如:
I could do so if I would. 要是我愿意, 我能够这样做(但我不愿意)。
If you would do this for me, I should be grateful indeed. 若是你愿意为我做这件事, 我将万分感激 。
They would be killed if the car went over the cliff. 如果汽车翻在悬崖下, 他们就会丧命。
They would have been killed if the car had gone over the cliff. 如果汽车当时翻到悬崖下, 他们早就丧命了。
2)表示请求或个人想法、看法,使语气更婉转,如:,
Would you kindly show me the way to the station? 劳驾, 请问到车站的路怎么走?
I would like to speak a few words. 我想讲几句话。
Would you go with me? 你愿意和我一起去吗?
3)表示但愿、要是...该多好
Would that I were young again. 我若能再年青些该多好啊! (would 前常省略主语 I)
We wish that he would come again. 我们但愿他会再来。
I would rather you came on Sunday. 我倒是希望你星期天来 。