Would Like and Would Love (Polite Wishes and Invitations)
📌 Lesson Contents
🎯 Lesson goal
In this lesson you will learn to use would like and would love 📖 to say what you want or to make polite invitations. You will see how to build the sentences 🧠, when to use them ✍️ and you can practise straight away with the test at the bottom of the page! 🚀
🌟 What do “would like” and “would love” mean?
- Would like ➔ to want something in a polite, kind or formal way ✨
- Would love ➔ to want something in a very enthusiastic way ❤️
Both expressions are used for present or future wishes!
🔍 How do we form them?
Basic formula:
Subject + would like/love + to + base verb
📌 Examples:
- I would like to visit London. 🏙️
- She would love to meet you. 🧑🤝🧑
🔍 Using “Would like”
✅ We use it to offer or ask for something politely (instead of the more direct want).
📌 Examples:
- Would you like to come with us? 🚗
- I would like a coffee, please. ☕
🔍 Using “Would love”
✅ We use it to show strong enthusiasm for an opportunity or a wish.
📌 Examples:
- I would love to go to the beach! ⛱️
- They would love to see that movie. 🎬
🧩 Summary table – Would like / Would love
| Expression | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Would like | Polite wish, request, polite offer | I would like to order a pizza. 🍕 |
| Would love | Strong wish, great enthusiasm | She would love to travel to Japan. ⛩️ |
❓ Basic doubts cleared up
- Can we contract “would”?
➔ Yes! It is very common in speech: I would like ➔ I’d like / She would love ➔ She’d love. - Do we always need “to” after would like/love?
➔ When a verb follows, yes! We always need to + base verb. (E.g. I’d like to eat). - Can I use “would like” directly with a noun?
➔ Yes! With no verb, you can use it straight with the noun: I would like a pizza, please.
🚫 Common mistakes to avoid
| Mistake ❌ | Correct ✅ |
|---|---|
| I would like go to the cinema. | I would like to go to the cinema. |
| She would love see you. | She would love to see you. |
| Would you like coming? | Would you like to come? |
👉 Remember: when a verb follows ➔ always TO + BASE VERB!
Gap Fill & Translation Exercises
Test yourself! In the first 15 sentences, complete with the correct form of ‘would like’ or ‘would love’. In the last 5, put the sentences into English.