Would

Once I wrote a composition which had to do with democracy. I can't remember the title. In the essay I used a lot of 'would'. The lecturer, a foreigner, commented that it looked as if I 'invented democracy'.

I did not realize that it gave people such an impression. Later when I thought about it, I think I knew what he meant. One reason was the tone. Suppose someone invented something or thought of a new idea, democracy for example, he would be very proud of it and would go around telling people of his great idea. How democracy would be good for the country, how the people would benefit from it and so on.

Actually we rarely write something with a lot of would.

Some students think would is only used for the past tense of will. Would can be used in other ways too. One of them is already shown above - to express possibilities.

Other uses:-
1. expressing a wish - She would like to go to Egypt.
2. making a polite request - Would you mind showing me the opera costume you just bought?
3. making an instruction sound courteous - Mr Guo, the principal would like to see you.
4. expressing a situation that cannot be reversed - He would be 30 today if he had not died in that road accident a year ago.
5. expressing something that is not possible - If I were superman, I would go and hunt down terrorist leaders in the world.