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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Modal "could" to denote possibility?
Hi. Please help me with this. I think the modal verb "could" could (Did I use the modal verb "could" correctly here?) denote possibility. Does the following show the use of the mdoal verb "could" to denote possibility? Do you think it would be good to replace the modal verb "could" in sentences like below, or perhaps any other sentences generally, with the phrase "may be able to" to check if possibility is what each use represents?
1. That's not right, but instead you could say this. -- I think we can easily replaced the modal verb "could" in this sentence with the phrase "may be able to" to mean practically the same.
2. A strong tornado could cause big damage in this area. -- Like above, I think we can easily replace the modal verb "could" with the phrase "may be able to" to mean practically the same.
3. She could be the person who did the work. -- Like the two above, I think we can easily replace the modal verb "could" with the phrase "may be able to" to mean practically the same.
4. His help could make a big difference, the difference that could cause our company to regain our status as an industry leader. -- Again, I think we can easily replace the modal verb "could" with the phrase "may be able to" to mean practically the same.
1. That's not right, but instead you could say this. -- I think we can easily replaced the modal verb "could" in this sentence with the phrase "may be able to" to mean practically the same.
2. A strong tornado could cause big damage in this area. -- Like above, I think we can easily replace the modal verb "could" with the phrase "may be able to" to mean practically the same.
3. She could be the person who did the work. -- Like the two above, I think we can easily replace the modal verb "could" with the phrase "may be able to" to mean practically the same.
4. His help could make a big difference, the difference that could cause our company to regain our status as an industry leader. -- Again, I think we can easily replace the modal verb "could" with the phrase "may be able to" to mean practically the same.
Top answer
They all suggest possibility to me, and I see no necessity to replace them with 'may be able to'. Here are the uses of 'could': The modal auxiliary could is used to express an ability in the past: I could always beat you at tennis when we were kids. to express past or future permission: Could I bury my cat in your back yard?
- They all suggest possibility to me, and I see no necessity to replace them with 'may be able to'.
- Here are the uses of 'could': The modal auxiliary could is used to express an ability in the past: I could always beat you at tennis when we were kids.
- to express past or future permission: Could I bury my cat in your back yard?
- to express present possibility : We could always spend the afternoon just sitting around talking.
- to express possibility or ability in contingent circumstances: If he studied harder, he could pass this course.
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1 Answers
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They all suggest possibility to me, and I see no necessity to replace them with 'may be able to'.
Here are the uses of 'could':
The modal auxiliary could is used
Here are the uses of 'could':
The modal auxiliary could is used
- to express an ability in the past:
I could always beat you at tennis when we were kids. - to express past or future permission:
Could I bury my cat in your back yard?
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