Much asked question on modal 'could'

Question

Hi, do the underlined modal verbs carry any sense of 'ability' to you?Jim couldn't lift this 100-pound weight two days ago but if you asked me, he could lift it now.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Not my area of expertise, but my instinct says that "ability" is all they carry.

I read two possible scenarios: two days ago he tried and failed, and, two days ago he was unable for other reasons to attempt the lift.

The portion after the "but" is a little strange. For one thing, the past tense, "if you asked me" doesn't comport with the present tense "he could lift it now." I think it should be simple present, "if you ask me." (If it were a real conditional, you could say, "If you were to ask me," and alternatively substitute the simple past for the subjunctive.)

But it's not. It's just a teaser. It seems like a botched-up conditional. The "if" and the "could" don't really go together.

The meaning of "if you asked me" is really "I think," which is certainly not a suggested condition for another attempt at the lift.

So the condition for "he could lift it now" is only implied: "but I think he could lift it now [if he tried]."

I guess I'd have to say that the final "could" expresses ability and also conditionality, as compared to "but I think he can lift it now."

- A.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks. What would you say to the argument that the modal 'could' couldn't express ability in past or in the present?

You wrote:

Not my area of expertise, but my instinct says that "ability" is all they carry.

Avangi · Answer

I'll have to study the argument.  I'm not much of a prescriptivist.  Give me a little time.  Hey, are you setting me up?<img src="http://www.EnglishForward.com/emoticons/emotion-78.gif"/>

MrPedantic · Answer

I'd agree with Avangi about the "ability" in the two coulds, and the strangeness of "if you asked".

MrP

Much asked question on modal 'could'

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