4.207 wishes: 'would'

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 group.

• 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.

4.208

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.

• All of us would like not to have nuclear weapons.

You can also say what someone does not want by using 'would' with a verb meaning 'to dislike'.

• I would hate to move to another house now.
• Personally, I would loathe to be dragged into this dispute.