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I always appreciate all the people here. Today I have a question about will-would usage. I know there're lots of answers for them already. However I just need to learn them with my sentences for better understanding.

< Will >

A : You'll die for them?

B : Yes, I will!


< Would >

A : You'd die for them?

B : Yes, I would!

Those are movie quotes. I re-wrote them with help of dictionaries, which are below.

< Will >

A : Do you plan to save them, even though you know you can't survive while doing that?

B : I do and I promise.


< Would >

A : Do you REALLY want to risk your life for them? You could be killed!

B : I do and I hope so.

So, how close am I?

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    You're subtly shifting the context by moving from even though you know [you'll die] (the "saviour's" death is a certainty) to You could be killed! (possibly, but it's not a certainty). But in neither case does it make sense for the saviour to say and I hope so (unless he actually has a death-wish, which is a bit too weird to use in an example context here). Jan 25, 2018 at 18:51

1 Answer 1

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You're close. First, minor correction: "Will" is always future. Of course, it doesn't mean it will necessarily happen, only that it is expected to happen.

A : You'll die for them?

B : Yes, I will!

A: You intend to die for them?

B. Yes, I intend to die for them (hopefully not in vain).

A : You'd die for them?

B : Yes, I would!

A: Should the possibility arise, would you die for them?

B: Yes, should the possibility arise, I would.

Using will implies it is a question of time, not if. Using would means it is a conditional situation, and that it is not necessarily going to be the case.

Putting it in another context:

A: You'll do your chores?

B: Yes, I will!

A: You intend to do your chores?

B: Yes, I intend to do my chores.

A: You would do your chores?

B: Yes, I would!

A: Should I ask you to do your chores, would you do them?

B: Yes, should you ask me to do my chores, I would do them.

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