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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Modal "could" with differing function in one sentence

Hi, please look at this sentence. Do you think the first modal "could" is about ability (past ability of the modal "can") and the second modal "could" is about present possibility in terms of functions they carry out?

I couldn't do (lift this bag) yesterday (then) but now I could (lift this bag).
  

Top answer

Anonymous Do you think the second modal "could" is about present possibility No. My reading is the referrent of "I" lifted the bag a few moments before the present moment. With your stipulations, to keep ambiguity from arising, my rephrase of your original sentence would be this: I was not able to ...

— Inchoateknowledge

  • Anonymous Do you think the second modal "could" is about present possibility No.
  • My reading is the referrent of "I" lifted the bag a few moments before the present moment.
  • With your stipulations, to keep ambiguity from arising, my rephrase of your original sentence would be this: I was not able to ...
  • yesterday, but now I would.
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3 Answers
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AnonymousDo you think the second modal "could" is about present possibility
No. My reading is the referrent of "I" lifted the bag a few moments before the present moment.

With your stipulations, to keep ambiguity from arising, my rephrase of your original sentence would be this:

I was not able to ... yesterday, but now I would.
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It's a bit unidiomatic. You need:

I couldn't ... yesterday, but now I can.

[past physical ability = no; present physical ability = yes]
[past success = no; present success = yes]

However,

I couldn't have ... yesterday, but now I could.

[implied conditions on both halves]

To make clear your intention to use could in tw
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