Uses of would

Uses of 'would'

siblings
grandparent – grandchild
parent – child

colleagues

teacher – pupil
coach – athlete

neighbours
doctor – patient

​Choose which of these relationships you have had.

Which of them have had the biggest influence on your life so far?

​Listen to five people talking about a young man called Toby and an incident he’s been involved in. Decide:
.

1 who each speaker is or what their relationship to Toby is.

2 what you think the incident is that they talk about.

Check you understand the phrases in bold then discuss the questions.
.

1 What were the mixed messages Toby received?

2 What will help him get back on the straight and narrow, according to his grandmother?

3 How did the ridiculous confrontation come about?

4 Why do you think Toby was unwilling to back down?

5 Why has the incident come as a shock to his coach?

6 What did Toby confide to his coach?

7 Why did the doctor say the man was in remarkably good health?

8 Who came to his aid?

9 Why did Toby and his girlfriend split up, when it came down to it?

10 Where was there a scene and what do you think caused it?

Match

Match the examples with the explanations:

• When he was a toddler, I’d do the childcare most days.

• I knew it would come to no good, but you can’t really interfere, can you?

• The frustrating thing is he’s a bright lad, but I would say he has a stubborn streak and he’s been prone

  to outbursts and answering back.

• I remember once I asked him to change desks to sit next to this girl and he just wouldn’t – just refused point blank.

past habits / repeated actions

the future in the past

introducing cautious opinions

a refusal in the past

• past habits / repeated actions

• the future in the past

• introducing cautious opinions

• a refusal in the past

Match

Match the examples with the explanations:

• Well, he should obviously be punished, but after that I’d still give him another chance rather than exclude him permanently.

• Although he’s a little frail now, I’d expect him to make a complete recovery.

• I probably would’ve stayed with him if he’d apologized, but he’s too proud, inne.

• There was like a bit of a scene, but I still doubt he’d do something like that.

giving advice/ opinion

introducing a cautious prediction

a past hypothesis

an unlikely hypothesis in the present

• giving advice/ opinion

• introducing a cautious prediction

• a past hypothesis

• an unlikely hypothesis in the present

Multiple Select

Tick all the correct sentences ✅

• I didn’t think I would enjoy the course, but the teacher has

  been great.

• I often got into trouble at school just because I would have

  really long hair.

• I’d hope that it’d all be sorted out pretty quickly.

• My parents wish we would live a bit closer to them.

• I wouldn’t be here if I wouldn’t have had the surgery.

Multiple Select

Tick all the correct sentences ✅

• I wouldn’t have said it was a big problem.

• Seriously, I wish my brother shut up sometimes.

• I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen and

  carried on.

• It doesn’t surprise me. I knew he’ll say that! He’s so

  predictable!

• I would have thought it’d be fine if you arrived a little

  bit late.

1 ​If I … , I’d …

2 I’d recommend …

3 I’d say …

4 As a child, I’d …

5 I wish … would …

​Write at least one opinion / comment about the story of Toby using would.
.
Think about:
.
✅ what you think actually happened and if there’s anything that might have avoided the situation
✅ what his childhood was like and how it might have affected him

✅ why the different people have the opinions they do
✅ what might happen to Toby now
✅ what advice you’d give to him and the people he knows