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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Can be / could be

All of a sudden, I tried to make up a sentence but I became stuck in some point now. Here is the sentence.

I am the one who can be ingored by them. That's why I always try to respect all of them and their opinions.

I am the one who could be ingored by them. That's why I always try to respect all of them and their opinions.

I know how to use "could" and the nuance difference of both, and it means "humbleness".

But the problem is that I think the second one could sound awkward because it sound too humble or something. What do you think? Do you think there is a difference or any preferance?

Thank you all the time in advance.
  

Top answer

They are both awkward; we do not normally make a pronoun the overt agent of a passive verb. These are natural: 1. They can ignore me: that's why I always try to respect them and their opinions .

— Mister Micawber

  • They are both awkward; we do not normally make a pronoun the overt agent of a passive verb.
  • These are natural: 1.
  • They can ignore me: that's why I always try to respect them and their opinions .
  • 2.
  • They could ignore me: that's why I always try to respect them and their opinions .
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1 Answers
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They are both awkward; we do not normally make a pronoun the overt agent of a passive verb. These are natural:

1. They can ignore me: that's why I always try to respect them and their opinions.
2. They could ignore me: that's why I always try to respect them and their opinions.

Neither statement has anything to do with humility. #1 suggests that the ignoring
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