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Viceidol Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

We can/could go next week. (?)

0 01b00Permission is granted. We 01font00can02font00/01font01u00could02u00 02font00go 01u01font00next week02font02u00.02b02br
02br
00This is a sentence comes from my grammar book. My doubt is: when we use01font01b00 "could"02b02font00 in the above sentence, does this 01b01font00"could"02font02b00 means "future", not the past? 02br
02br
00In other words, we can simply use "could" to refer to future? Especially in the above example, "could" means 01i00permission02i00, not 01i00ability 02i00or01i00 possibility.02i00 I don't think using "could" with a future time is sensible. What do you think?02br
02br
00Another example from the same book:02br
02br
01b00A: 01font00Could02font00 I see you 01font01u00tomorrow02u02font00, then?02b02br
02br
01b00B: Yes, you 02b01font01b01font00can02font00/02b01font01b01u00could02u02b02font02font00 (see me tomorrow).02br
02br
00Is it suitable to use "could" to reply this question? Is this "could" simply the substitute of "can"? 02br
02br
00I'd appreciate it if you could answer my question. Thank you!0-
  

Top answer

12blockquote 10 Yes. 01i 00can02i 00 gives the sense of the present or future better. 01i 00could02i 00 also gives the sense of the present or future.

— CalifJim

  • 12blockquote 10 Yes.
  • 01i 00can02i 00 gives the sense of the present or future better.
  • 01i 00could02i 00 also gives the sense of the present or future.
  • A good way of paraphrasing it is 01i 00We would be able to go next week02i 00.
  • 12i 12blockquote 10I disagree with this comment.
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4 Answers
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Viceidol12cite10when we use11font11b10 "could"12b12font10 in the above sentence, does this 11b11font10"could"12font12b10 means "future", not the past?12blockquote
10 Yes. 01i00can
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Viceidol12cite11b10A: 11font10Could12font10 I see you 11font11u10tomorrow12u12font10, then?12b12br
12br
11b10B: Yes, you 12b11font11b11font
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0I completely understand now! Thank you so much, Jim. You've cleared the doubt which I couldn't solve for a long time.0-
0
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0 Ditto. The answer really, really cleared up my doubts of many many years. Thanks. 0-
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