The phrases “I will be grateful” and “I would be grateful” are incredibly similar, which begs the question – which of these two phrases is the correct one to use? This article will be explaining all you need to know and be aware of, in terms of these phrases.
What Is The Difference Between “I Will Be Grateful” And “I Would Be Grateful”?
The difference between “I will be grateful” and “I would be grateful” is how these phrases are perceived by a receiving person. “I will be grateful” is considered presumptuous, almost like an expectation. Whereas, “I would be helpful” is considered to be polite and understanding.
When we say that “I will be grateful”, there is a strong implication that we already know or expect that we will be receiving help. Therefore, this phrase can often turn folks away from wanting to help us.
When we say that “I would be grateful”, there is a strong implication that while we would appreciate the assistance, we understand that someone may be busy or unable to help us. Utilizing this phrase gives folks the opportunity to say no if they need to, but also generally causes them to want to assist us.
When Should I Use “I Will Be Grateful”?
We can choose to use the phrase “I will be grateful” whenever we are already aware that someone is going to help us. This way, it is much more polite than openly assuming that someone will help us if we are presently unaware of such.
We can also use this phrase when we are aware that something stressful or tiresome is coming to a close or end.
Here are some examples to help highlight when we can use this particular phrase:
- I will be grateful when the stress caused by holiday shopping is over and I can just relax, enjoying time with my loved ones.
- I will be grateful after we get together later and fix up my roof – thank you again for offering to help me.
- I will be grateful when we are finally done renovating our house. There is nothing worse than living in a mess 24/7.
- I will be grateful when I’ve completed my degree and I no longer have to get up at 5:30 am every morning for clinical.
- I will be grateful when you and I are done with this paint job!
When Should I Use “I Would Be Grateful”?
We should choose to utilize the phrase “I would be grateful” any time we are asking someone if they would be willing to assist us, without being presumptuous in the fact that they will feel obligated to merely because we are asking.
This is considered an incredibly formal and polite way to request assistance from someone. We can also use this phrase when we merely wish to express our gratitude for something that has not yet occurred.
We can now look over the following examples that show how we can utilize this particular phrase:
- I would be grateful to attend your party, thank you so much for inviting me.
- I would be grateful if you would consider helping me with this spreadsheet error that keeps occurring – I’m just not sure what I am doing wrong.
- I would be grateful if we could please turn down the heat in the classroom because I’m beginning to feel nauseous.
- I would be grateful if you would attend my sleepover party this weekend, but I understand if you already have plans since it’s so last minute.
- I would be grateful if you could take the time to read over and consider the proposal that I left on your desk this morning.
Is “I Would Be Grateful” More Formal Than “I Will Be Grateful”?
“I would be grateful” is definitely considered to be far more formal than “I will be grateful”. This is because “I would be grateful” is considered to be mild-mannered and polite, without coming across as needy or pushy, as to not pressure someone into helping us.
People do not like to feel coerced into helping others and presumptuous statements like “I will be grateful” can come across as poorly worded or with strong implications in some contexts.
Is “I Will Be Grateful” Or “I Would Be Grateful” Used The Most?
The use of “I will be grateful” and “I would be grateful” has fluctuated quite a bit over the last few centuries. As we can see from Google Ngram Viewer, in the present day, “I would be grateful” is used more often than “I will be grateful”.
However, this was not always the case. Throughout the 1800s, the use of these two phrases was quite close in comparison. However, from 1860 to nearly the 1950s, “I will be grateful” was the increasingly more popularly used phrase.
From the 1960s on, the use of “I will be grateful” has seen a steady decline, all while the use of “I would be grateful” was steadily increasing since the beginning of the 1900s. From the 1950s on, “I would be grateful” has been far more common, perhaps to do with the recent decades re-teaching of politeness and proper etiquette.
Is “I Will Be Grateful” And “I Would Be Grateful” Used Differently In The UK And The US?
From the data presented by Google Ngram Viewers, we can see the use of “I will be grateful” and “I would be grateful” has been very different in the UK and the US. However, in the present-day, “I would be grateful” is more popular in both countries.
The Google Ngram Viewer below shows that the use of the phrase “I would be grateful” has slowly but steadily increased over time in the UK. It was quite close in proximity with “I will be grateful”, with only a period in the mid-1900s where it fell behind. For the most part, the proper and polite English phrase “I would be grateful” has always been used commonly in the UK.
To compare with the Google Ngram Viewer for the US, the use of “I will be grateful” was almost always more commonly utilized. This may have something to do with Americans being rather bold in how they speak, as opposed to being concerned with being overly polite. However, since the 1970s, “I would be grateful” has remained the more popularly used phrase in the US.
Is It Grammatical To Use “I Should Be Grateful”?
While it is technically considered grammatically correct to say “I should be grateful”, it’s important to remember that the term “would” has replaced the classically correct “should”, in many cases in contemporary or modernized English. Therefore, we say “I would be grateful”, as it means the same thing.
This is not to say that it would be wrong for someone to say “I should be grateful”, it would merely come across as an outdated or old-fashioned manner in which to speak.
Here are a few examples that show the use of “I should be grateful” and also the modernized version of “I would be grateful”, for comparative purposes.
- I should be grateful if you could fetch me today’s newspaper from the driveway.
- I would be grateful if you could fetch me today’s newspaper from the driveway.
- I should be grateful for a clean bill of health after my doctor’s visit.
- I would be grateful for a clean bill of health after my doctor’s visit.
- I should be grateful for your assistance in cleaning my garage this weekend.
- I would be grateful for your assistance in cleaning my garage this weekend.
Is It “I Would Be Grateful If You Could” Or “I Would Be Grateful If You Would”?
We should choose to say “I would be grateful if you could”, as this is considered a polite and formal request. We use the word “could” to convey possibility, without pressure. Whereas, “I would be grateful if you would” come across as confusing or repetitive.
Although “would” is considered a polite term, we do not want to use this term twice in a short sentence. Therefore, we stick to one “would” and go with the phrase “I would be grateful if you could”.
The same is applicable, if we are to swap the term “would” out with “will” or “should’. We would say “I will be grateful if you could” or “I should be grateful if you could”.
Also, the terms “could” and “would” can be entirely left off the ends of the phrases if we so choose, as the phrases are already polite. We do not need to add either term on the end, as they truly do not add much to the already formal phrase.
We can go over the following examples for additional clarity:
- Correct: I would be grateful if you could pass me the salt and pepper, please.
- Incorrect: I would be grateful if you would pass me the salt and pepper, please.
- Correct: I will be grateful if you could turn the volume of your music down.
- Incorrect: I will be grateful if you would turn the volume of your music down.
- Correct: I should be grateful if you could make us a pot of tea.
- Incorrect: I should be grateful if you would make us a pot of tea.
Is It Ever Correct To Say “It Would Be Grateful”?
We do not say “it would be grateful” because this is an incorrect expression or statement. “It”, which is used to refer to a thing previously mentioned (a situation, event, action, etc.), so “it” cannot feel grateful about another person’s actions.
You may also like: “Would You” vs. “Could You”: Difference Explained (Examples)
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
