[Grammar] Using "would/will" in report

[alfree]

Hi, I have encountered some issues while writing a report.

Firstly, do we use would or will in report writing? Secondly, can we use both would and will in the same paragraph?

For example,
"Three machines will/would be acquired. These machines will/would be used by the product manager."

Appreciate if you could enlighten me. Thanks!

 

[BobK]

Either would do, but there might be local guidelines about the relative weights of certainty (for example, in the X.400 series of protocols about email and the X.500 series about directories - in fact in all the ITU-TS dosuments [that used to called 'CCITT Standards'] there's a very precise scale of modals. And it depends what sort of report you're writing. If you're writing about something that certainly will happen, I'd expect 'will' - though again there may be local guidelines that require distance in the approach.

b

 

[alfree]

Thanks! Could I use both "will" and "would" in the same paragraph/sentence?

Example,

Within the paragraph:
1. Three machines would be acquired. These machines will be used by the product manager.

Within the sentence:
2. Three machines would be acquired and they will be used by the product manager.


Or do I have to follow some sort of consistency? eg. if the first sentence/clause uses "would", the following sentence/clause needs to follow with "would", and not "will".

Example,

3. Three machines would be acquired. These machines would be used by the product manager.

 

[BobK]

I don't think the inconsistency matters if it's clear that 'would' applies to a proposal and that the use of 'will' implies that the proposal is accepted. Your 3rd version would probably raise fewer hackles though! Other teachers may have stronger feelings for or against. ;-)

b