It can be dangerous to cycle in the city.

Question

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/can-could-or-may has to say this about "can":

1) "Can" expresses what the speaker believes is a general truth or known fact, or a strong possibility:

a) It can be dangerous to cycle in the city.

2) "Could" in the present only expresses weak possibility. "Can" expresses strong possibility:

b) I can travel in July because my exams will definitely be finished at the beginning of that month. (strong possibility)

3) We don’t normally use "could" to talk about general truths which refer to the present time. We use "can" instead:

c) Not everyone can afford to buy organic food.

4) We use "could", not "can", to express future possibility. "Can" expresses that we are certain of something:

d) Working in London next summer could be a great experience.

I'm really confused about the "general truth or known fact" meaning and "strong possibility" meaning of "can". In (1a), the dictionary says, "can" suggests both of these meanings, while in (2b), "can" only suggests "strong possibility" meaning, and in (4d), we cannot use "can" because it would suggest we are certain of something.

Could you please explain with examples when to use "can" properly with the "strong possibility" meaning?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Rizan Malikwhen to use "can" properly with the "strong possibility" meaning?

You can travel to most places if you are fully vaccinated. (There is a strong possibility that there are no restrictions. I am pretty certain of this but not 100%.)

You can get fantastic bar-b-que at Sam's place. (They have a reputation for this kind of cooking. So there is a strong possibility that you will find the food very good.)

You can hear the BBC broadcast tonight. (The BBC broadcasts every night. There is a strong possibility that you can hear it.)

You can get to the city center on the Number 4 bus. (That is the schedule for that route. However, sometimes service might be cancelled.)

Rizan Malik (4d), we cannot use "can" because it would suggest we are certain of something.

The item 4 is talking about something in the future, not the present - or something that is very close to us in time.

d) Working in London next summer can be a great experience. (I have six friends who worked there last summer and they had great experiences.)

d) Working in London next summer could be a great experience. (I am imagining what it would be like, but I have no personal knowledge.)

CalifJim · Answer

Rizan Malikexamples when to use "can" properly with the "strong possibility" meaning

1) Conjunctivitis is an eye condition that can be caused by an infection or by exposure to chemicals or other irritants.
2) Television is a medium which lends itself to manipulation and gimmicks, so it can be abused by demagogs, by appeals to emotion, prejudice, and ignorance.
3) Doing research on drug manufacturers can be a mind-numbing process, especially for non-tech-savvy senior citizens.
4) It can be hard to find a good place to store long boards in your garage.
5) Painting from the can is still the way most of us do it. It can be messy, but with a little forethought, you can avoid some of the drips.
6) The world can be a very harsh for a single pregnant young lady within the church.
7) Datura stramonium, also known as Jimson weed, can be highly poisonous in large doses.
8) Having a tailor make you a suit can be very expensive, but it's worth it if you can scrape together the cash.

CJ

It can be dangerous to cycle in the city.

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