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Modals Function: WILL - Coggle Diagram
Modals Function: WILL
commands
It is also used to insist that someone does something:
But you will have to do it. You’ll have no choice.
We sometimes give commands or orders using will:
Will you be quiet, please!
Will you stop picking your nails!
Requests and invitations
We often make requests or invitations with will:
Will you pass me the salt?
This tastes good. Will you give me the recipe?
Will you come for dinner on Saturday?
Certainty in the future
One of the main uses of will is to refer to things in the future that we think are certain:
The rooms will be redecorated but all the facilities will be the same.
A: He’s still there at the moment.
B: He will be there until the new guy starts.
[talking to a child]
Will you be 5 in September?
Intentions and decisions
We use will for immediate intentions and decisions. We usually use ’ll, not will, after I think:
When I go and see Marie, I think I’ll take her some flowers.
What will you do with that soup? Will you just put it in the fridge or will you freeze it?
I think I’ll have some orange juice, actually.
We use will and be going to for decisions, intentions and plans. We use will when the decision is immediate and be going to when we have already made a plan:
A: It’s too expensive to fly on the Friday. Look it’s nearly £200. It’s only £25 to fly on Thursday.
B: We’ll fly on Thursday then.
A: Great. That’ll save us lots of money.
We’re going to drive to Birmingham on Friday, and Saturday morning we’re going to drive to Edinburgh.
Willingness and offers
Will is often used to express someone’s willingness to do something or to make offers. It is often used with I in this context:
I’ll show you where to go.
A: It’s just a leaflet that I’ve got.
B: Just the leaflet. Right, I’ll go and get you a brochure too.
I’ll give you a lift to the hotel.
Conditional sentences
We often use will (or the contracted form ’ll) in the main clause of a conditional sentence when we talk about possible situations in the future:
If she gets the job, she will have to move to Germany.
I will take a day off if the weather’s fine next week.
Making predictions
Will is used to make predictions about the future:
A: Have you decided what you are going to do with the car?
B: No. Father thinks it will cost a lot of money to fix.
I think they’ll be off in January again. (they’ll be away, possibly on holiday)
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General truths
Will is used to describe something the speaker thinks is generally true:
[talking about making complaints at hospitals]
A: Do you think they should try and make it easier for people to complain?
B: because, cos some people will always complain.
Habitual events
We use will to refer to events that happen often:
[talking about a younger sister, Celia, who doesn’t eat properly; she refers to Celia]
Celia will start to get upset if she has to eat cabbage or meat like chicken breast. My mum will say, ‘Just try it’. And she’ll start shaking her head and going, ‘No. I don’t want to’. Mum will put it near her mouth and she’ll start to cough.
Disapproval
Will is also used to talk about repeated behaviour which the speaker does not like or approve of. Will is normally stressed here:
He will leave his clothes all over the floor. It drives me mad. (stronger than He leaves his clothes all over the floor.)
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