摘要：可是will在古英语中也有实义动词用法，含义为have desire，所以would相当于had desire的实义动词，只是这样的用法很少见了，所以词典多将would that标为formal, literary。

would的最典型用法是情态动词，它后面要跟实义动词。

可是will在古英语中也有实义动词用法，含义为have desire，所以would相当于had desire的实义动词，只是这样的用法很少见了，所以词典多将would that标为formal, literary。

品读例句，

【例句1】Would that we had seen her before she died. （要是她死前我们见过她就好了。）[朗文当代英语辞典]

【例句2】Would that he had lived to see it. （要是他能活着看到它就好了。）[牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句3】Would that he could have listened to his father. （他要是能听他父亲的话就好了。）[柯林斯高级学者词典]

上述would that可以换成I wish that，表达强烈地奢望。

来源：海安教育