Indicating obligation and willingness

Using modal verbs to indicate willingness

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Degrees of willingness

Note that different modals are typically used to indicate varying degrees of willingness (high, mid and low). The degree of willingness is a reflection of the speaker's level of commitment to the course of action.

	At the highest level, due to their strong willingness the speaker or person referred to is totally committed to the course of action, eg I will ... This can be glossed as: determination.
	The mid level is mid willingness and at this level the speaker or person referred to is partly, but not completely committed to the course of action, eg I may ... This can be glossed as: intention.
	The bottom level is low willingness, and at this level the speaker or person referred to is willing to follow the course of action, but may have some reason for not particularly wanting to, eg I would, but ... This level can be glossed as acceptance.

Note that the modal will can be used to indicate all three levels: determination, intention and acceptance. The level of willingness depends on the context, the stress which the word is given, and the addition of adverbs of likelihood.

For example, consider a situation where a father has told his daughter that she should not waste her time going to university. If she is really determined to go in spite of all opposition, she might say something like:

I will go - and you can't stop me!

Contrast this with the way will is typically used to indicate intention. If a speaker is merely stating what she expects to happen in the future, she might say something like the following, but without emphasising the will:

After university, I will find a job.

If the speaker wants to convey that they are willing to follow the course of action, but not necessarily enthusiastic about doing so, they might still use will, but the context would indicate that the level of willingness is low:

Alright then if I have to, I'll do it.

In some cases, the presence of a modal adverb such as maybe would indicate that the speaker grudgingly accepts the future course of action:

But maybe I will now. (Bank of English)

For further information about using adverbials, see Indicating obligation and willingness: Using adverbials to indicate likelihood.

For further information about using will, see Expressing future time: Using will.

Introduction
Degrees of willingness
Indicating strong willingness
Indicating mid willingness
Indicating low willingness