Will, & would... can, & could??

Question

Will, & wouldcan, & couldWill, & wouldI think "will" is used when I know I'm going to do something for sure, but "would" is when I'm assuming that I might do this action in the futuer.can, & couldIf I'm asking someone to do somthing, then the difference here between "can" and "could" is that "could" is more polite.But if I'm talking about performing an act myself, then when I use "can" it means that I'm sure I can do it, but could, I'm just assuming " same idea for will and would"This is my knowledge about this question, but I'm not sure and it still confuses me, so pls correct me if I'm wrong, and if you have any additional details pls share  Thx very much!

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Hello, mahoy - and welcome to English Forums.

I'd say that your understanding of those modal verbs is pretty good, but we won't know for sure until you actually use them in sentences.

Mahoy · Answer

Hi Mister Micawber , it’s a great website actually, I’ve just joined yesterday, and I've already got answers for the two questions I’ve posted!

Okay here is an example; I hope that will clarify any mistakes I might be doing:

Positive Statement:

Egypt is one of the countries I will visit.

Egypt is one of the countries I would visit.

(First sentence shows that I’m sure I’m going to visit Egypt, but second sentence kind of shows that it’s possible for me to visit Egypt but I might not do it)

Negative statement:

I don’t anyone snooping through my stuff.

I will not do this. (Here it shows that It's possible for me to do it but I will not)

I wouldn’t do that! (Here it shows that it’s an unlikely Act for me to do!)

****************

Can you print this e-mail for me please?

Could you print this e-mail for me Please?

I think both are right, But I would go with the first statement here, as I’m asking for a simple request, which I’m sure the person will provide me with.

But I also learned at schools that when you say, can, you’re actually asking the person about his ability to perform something, but, could, you’re just asking politely.

Can you stay awake for a month?

I cannot do this.

I couldn’t do that!

Also here, both can be right, but, couldn’t, is better because he is asking about something that obviously I can’t do!

Please review my examples and explain me more, specially about can, and could! when should I really use can, and when should I use could?!!

Thank you very much!

Mister Micawber · Answer

1-- Egypt is one of the countries I will visit.
2-- Egypt is one of the countries I would visit.

(First sentence shows that I'm sure I'm going to visit Egypt, but second sentence kind of shows that it's possible for me to visit Egypt but I might not do it-- Yes, but please notice that #1 is complete in itself, while #3 is an incomplete sentence without a condition clause.)

Negative statement:
I don't want anyone snooping through my stuff.
I will not do that. (Here it shows that It's possible for me to do it but I will not-- Sort of. It is a denial of possibility.)
I wouldn't do that! (Here it shows that it's an unlikely Act for me to do!-- Not really: it says that you certainly will not do that because you are not that kind of person. 'Would' again implies a conditional clause, 'if I were given the opportunity to do so.')
**
Can you print this e-mail for me please?
Could you print this e-mail for me Please?
I think both are right, But I would go with the first statement here, as I'm asking for a simple request, which I'm sure the person will provide me with. -- That is the wrong rationale. 'Could' is more formally polite than 'can'. We use 'can' with close acquaintances. It is not a matter of possibility.

But I also learned at schools that when you say, can, you're actually asking the person about his ability to perform something, but, could, you're just asking politely.-- Not exactly (except as a native-speaker joke). See my comment above.

Can you stay awake for a month?
I cannot do that.
I couldn't do that!
Also here, both can be right, but, couldn't, is better because he is asking about something that obviously I can't do!-- Wrong rationale. 'Can': simple statement of ability. 'Could': the conditional clause is omitted ('... if I attempted it')

Mahoy · Answer

Hey, Thanks a lot for correcting me!

if you can give me a simple example about each one of them, since the examples I gave weren't right, it will be much appreciated.

Mister Micawber · Answer

There are no simple examples, Mahoy. These words have different uses and different relationships, and a forum thread is not the place to examine the whole lot. Start by reading more about them [url=http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/auxiliary.htm]HERE[/url] and [url=http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/330/grammar][/url], and then if you have a specfic question, please ask us.

Will, & would... can, & could??

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