Two persons are in a scene. A said "Why didn't you meet me at the station?" B said "I was busy completing my work. I know you would understand. Then he talks about his work. I don't know why B used would instead of will, although there is no condition here. Please help me out in this.
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Please check all your sentences in Microsoft word, if you have it. Or in some other program. Also, please leave spaces between sentences and check your spelling and verb tenses.– LambieJan 6, 2022 at 17:26
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2 Answers
There are some problems with the sentences you are looking at. They should say:
A said "Why did you not meet me at the station?"
B said "I was busy completing my work. I knew you would understand."
The reason B uses 'would' here is because they are speaking about themselves in the past imagining this future hypothetical situation - "I knew (at the time) you would understand (in the future from that time)".
If B was speaking to A on the phone while A was at the station, B would say "I know you will understand" because the situation is actually happening now rather than maybe happening in the future.
B could still say "I know you will understand" now, but it doesn't sound quite right to a native speaker.
the verb would is the past tense of will (and also used as a conditional, but not here):
A said:
"why didnot you meet me at the station?"
Correction: Why didn't you meet me at the station.
B said: "I was busy in completing my work. I know you would understand.
Correction: I was busy finishing my work. I knew you would understand.
Here is the rule:
In the present time: I know you will understand why I cannot come to dinner at your house.
Referring to the past: I knew you would understand why I could not come to dinner at your house.
In short, the past tense of will is would. would is not just used in conditional sentences such as:
I would come if I could.