Collins Cobuild English Grammar

We will stay here.

I’ll write again some time.

We’ll discuss that later.

You state your intention not to do something using will not or won’t.

I will not follow her.

I won’t keep you any longer.

We won’t let them through the gate.

5.190   You can show that you are very determined to do something by using the full form I will or we will and stressing will.

You can show that you are very determined not to do something either by using I won’t or we won’t and stressing won’t, or by using I will not or we will not and stressing not.

intentions: shall

5.191   Another way of stating an intention is to use I or we with shall.

I shall be leaving soon.

I shall make some enquiries and call you back.

We shall continue to monitor his progress.

This use is slightly old-fashioned, rather formal, and uncommon in American English.

You can show that you are very determined not to do something by using shall not or shan’t. This is more emphatic than using will not or won’t.

I shall not disclose his name.

I shan’t go back there.

The form shan’t is not used in American English.

intentions: must

5.192   If you want to show that it is important that you do something, you can use I must.

I must leave fairly soon.

I must ask her about that.

I must call my mum–it’s her birthday today.

5.193   Ways of stating an intention without using a modal are explained in paragraphs 5.235 to 5.238.

Expressing unwillingness or refusal

5.194   A refusal can be expressed by using a modal in a negative declarative sentence. The subject is usually I or we, but other personal pronouns or noun phrases can be used.

refusaclass="underline" will not and won’t

5.195   If you want to say firmly that you refuse to do something, you use will not or won’t.

I will not hear a word said against the National Health Service.

I won’t let this happen.

You can just say I won’t.

‘Tell me your secret.’ – ‘I won’t. It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you.’

It isn’t that I won’t. I can’t.

You can use won’t to say that someone else is refusing to do something.

He won’t give her the money.

refusaclass="underline" would not

5.196   If you want to say that you refused to do something in the past, you use would not or wouldn’t.

He thought I was a freak because I wouldn’t carry a weapon.

unwillingness: cannot

5.197   If you want to show that you have strong feelings that prevent you from doing something, you use cannot or can’t.

I cannot leave everything for him.

I can’t give you up.

unwillingness: couldn’t

5.198   Couldn’t is used in two ways to express unwillingness to do something.

You use it to show that you are unwilling to do something because you are afraid, embarrassed, or disgusted.

I couldn’t possibly go out now.

I couldn’t let him touch me.

You use it to indicate that you are unwilling to do something because you think it would be unfair or morally wrong.

I couldn’t leave Hilary to cope on her own.

I couldn’t take your last chocolate.

5.199   Other ways of expressing refusal and unwillingness are described in paragraphs 5.239 to 5.241.

Expressing a wish

5.200   Wishes can be expressed by using a modal in a declarative sentence.

wishes: would

5.201   You can say what someone wants by using would followed by a verb meaning to like. After the verb meaning to like you put a to-infinitive clause or a noun phrase.

I would like to know the date.

I would prefer to say nothing about this problem.

We’d like to keep you here.

Oh, I hope it will be twins. I’d love twins.

5.202   You can say what someone does not want by using would not.

I would not like to see it.

We wouldn’t like to lose you.

Normally, when you are using would with like to say what someone does not want, you put not after would. If you put not after like, you change the meaning slightly.

For example, if you say I would not like to be a student, you mean you are not a student and do not want to be one. But if you say I would like not to be a student, you mean you are a student and do not want to be one.

They would like not to have to go through all that.

You can also say what someone does not want by using would with hate.

I would hate to move to another house now.

Personally, I would hate to be dragged into this dispute.

wishes: should

5.203   You can also say what someone wants or does not want by using should. Should is less common than would, and is slightly more formal.

I should like to live in the country.

I should hate to see them disappear.

preference: would rather, would sooner