Is it/would it be possible: Why and how should you use them? With examples and differences

Would is the key in between these two sentences.

"Would" is a modal word. Right here, "would" makes this sentence much more polite and gentle, and this sentence "would it be possible" sounds more like a suggestion instead of an order compared to "is it possible to". But actually in daily life, you can use them both.

At the same time, "could, might" these two words can also achieve similar function, while might is the politest among them. And also, they have the function of expressing possibility.

"Could" probably has 60% possibility and beyond, yet not 100%.

"Might" would be lower than 50%, you're not quite sure about it.
"It could work." Yeah, this idea has a good chance to succeed.

"It might work" Well, don't get your hopes up.

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Would it be possible to- This is when you are asking if a certain task have a chance to get done.

Is it possible- this is when you are confirming if a certain task can be done.

Would it be possible if we can meet today?

Is it possible if we can watch a movie today

There are many things that are similar phrase but have different concept

Would it be possible to and is it possible to?

The difference between "is it possible" and "would it be possible" is that the word "would" changes the sentence by making it hypothetical. 😊For an example, When we ask a waitress or waiter at the restraunt, "Is it possible to get more knives and forks at our table?" we are asking about a real situation that is happening right now.

Examples:

• Is it possible to get sick from stress

• Would it be possible to make an appointment for later today?

Conclusion:

"Is it possible" vs. "Is that possible"🌻

They are often used in the same phrases and expressions to talk about something that has already been mentioned. The difference is that "that" always refers to something that is either away from the speaker and near (not away from) the interlocutor.

My examples show us how they are used differently:

"Is it possible to buy a fur coat for under $2,000?"

"My computer turned itself on! Is that possible?"

Thank you. 🙂

There is no real difference in meaning, merely in tone. "Would it be possible to" would simply be a more polite way to ask if something is possible. It would be better to use "would it be possible to" when speaking to a customer/client, or someone at work.

The difference comes down to formal (business) and informal (casual) language.

"Would it be possible to" is formal and "is it possible to" is informal.

A receptionist at a doctor's office could ask a client if they can change their appointment time like this: "Hi, Sally. Sorry to bother you. Would it be possible to reschedule your appointment from 2 o'clock to 3 o'clock tomorrow?"

A child could ask their mother if something is possible like this: "Is it possible to divide anything by zero in mathematics?"

Conclusion

As you can see from the examples above, "would it be possible to" would be used in a formal context, and "is it possible to" is used in an informal context.

The key difference between "is it possible" and "would it be possible" is that the word "would" changes the sentence by making it hypothetical. When we ask a waiter or waitress at a café, "Is it possible to get more napkins at our table?" we are asking about a real situation that is happening right now.

the difference in meaning is small. You are still being kind by asking if something is possible, rather than demanding it. The "would" just adds a tiny bit more respect.

"would is be possible to ~" is a small amount more careful, like you would say to an elder or a boss.

would it be possible (for somebody) to do sth?

used when asking politely if you can do or have something

[Would it be possible to] and [is it possible to] are both asking about the possibility of things, and indicating the speaker's intention/ wish. The differences lie in the tones and the context of speaking.

The (grammatical) difference of the 2 forms

1. [Is it possible to] is a very basic form of present simple tense, with the verb of [be] in the form of [is]
   

2. [Would it be possible to] includes an additional modal verb [would], which is the past tense of [will]. and [Will] indicates intention and possibility of things.
   

... the meaning of an additional modal verb in past tense

1. Past tense is not only about things that happened in the past. Past tense is also used to indicated the temporal location distant from the present ( that also explains why fictions are all written in past tense)
   

2. that distance could also be understood as politeness, as it presents a hypothetical mode of speaking.
   (hypothesis = not real = not very close to the present)

For example, If we are in a Mcdonald's ,

1. we could change our drinks by asking [is it possible to have sprite instead of coke?]
   --> as you know it is ABSOLUTELY possible. (it is already nice for us to ask, instead of telling.)

   
   

2. but if we want to change the chips into corns, we may ask [would it be possible to change the chips to corn please?]
   --> as we are not sure if it is possible... therefore, hypothetical speaking (+ extra nice)

That is why...

[Would it be possible to] is generally understood as "more polite" than [Is it possible to] for the distance created by the hypothetical mode of speaking.

would it be possible to and is it possible to (do something)?

This is essentially asking the same question, but the more important question is when to use "would" than " is it".

This is especially important in British culture than in North America, and if you are speaking to an elderly / superior. Always address the question with "would"

formality

would it be possible is the formal and polite way to ask someone to do something for you or to ask for permission to do something

example: would you be so kind and get me the ketchup?

When in doubt as to which one to use, always choose the formal "would you"..

Is it possible? - to make a request

"Is it possible to turn the TV off?"

Would it be possible? - to make a polite request

"Would it be possible to meet on Saturday instead of Sunday?"

Is it possible? - real situation

"Is it possible to buy a dress for under $100 here?" (Do you have any cheap dresses?)

Would it be possible? - hypothetical situation

Would it be possible to buy a dress for under $100 here? (I know you don't have cheap dresses, but maybe you can give me a discount).

A few more examples:

"Is it possible to have rice instead of chips?" (Is it ok to change the side dish here?)

"Would it be possible to have rice instead of chips?" (Could you please change the side dish?)

Basically if you want to be polite when asking for something use "would it be possible" , if you want to know whether something is actually possible use "is it possible".

The key difference between "is it possible" and "would it be possible" is that the word "would" changes the sentence by making it hypothetical. When we ask a waiter or waitress at a café, "Is it possible to get more napkins at our table?" we are asking about a real situation that is happening right now

Would it be possible?

This is a polite way to ask something.

But when we ask them, "Would it be possible to get more napkins at our table?" it introduces a hypothetical situation. Basically we are asking, "Is there any situation where it would be possible to get more napkins at our table?" This is a more indirect way to ask the question, which makes it even more polite.

Generally speaking, "Is it possible...?" is a phrase used to make a request. Instead of using a command, such as "Turn the music off!", it's more polite to use indirect language and questions, such as "Is it possible to turn the music off?" This gives the person we are speaking to the option to answer that it is not possible without conflicting with us. When we use commands there is a conflict if the person does not obe

I hope this helps

What is the difference between would it be possible to and is it possible to?

The key difference between "is it possible" and "would it be possible" is that the word "would" changes the sentence by making it hypothetical. When we ask a waiter or waitress at a café, "Is it possible to get more napkins at our table?" we are asking about a real situation that is happening right now.

Examples of these Sentences are as follows:

• Would it be possible to come out and see the house?

• Would it be possible to have an admin look at this?

• And would it be possible to construct a sound-prism?

• Would it be possible to check if these are the same?

• If not, would it be possible and / or useful

• Is it possible for investors to do good while doing well?

• Is it possible they could lose their defensive coordinator as well?

• Is it possible to have a model that works both ways?

• Is it possible to visit the camp before enrolling your child?

• How is it possible for her to reconcile these two worlds?

Would it be possible to (do something)?

This is a much more polite way to make a request. It's what we would call an indirect question.

Would it be possible to arrange a lesson earlier next week?

If you'd like to ask the same question in a more direct way, you'd remove the extra words you added, as seen below.

Can you arrange a lesson earlier next week?

You can also add additional information, such as who needs to complete this action.

Would it be possible to have Sarah arrange a lesson earlier next week?

We can make it even more polite by adding more words.

Would it be at all possible to have Sarah arrange a lesson earlier this week?

Is it possible to (do something)?

This is a simple question of whether something can or can't occur.

Is it possible to enter the Museum at 9pm?

An alternative way of asking the same question is:

Is there a possibility of entering the Museum at 9pm?

In the example above, we had to use a different particle and a gerund instead of a verb phrase, yet the meaning remains the same.

Conclusion

While these two phrases might seem similar, they're not the same at all and once you understand the differences, you will use each as they are intended.