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Latest post Fri, Jul 8 2005 8:55 PM by SpoonfedBaby. 5 replies.
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SpoonfedBaby  +  115969 Wed, 06 Jul 05 08:07 PM
Hello Smile [:)]

Why do I need to say
"I'm wondering if I CAN  replace A with B"
instead  of
"I'm wondering if I COULD  replace A with B."

Thank you very much,

Spoonfedbaby.

>>
Joined on Sat, Aug 14 2004
Canada (Chinese-Vietnamese, once upon a time )
Full Member 152
jeter  +  115979 Wed, 06 Jul 05 08:45 PM

Hi

Maybe you need to judge situation. if the replace is possible use "can"

if not maybe use "could".

if someone has a good idea you can follow.

 

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Eimai_Anglos  +  116376 Fri, 08 Jul 05 02:13 AM
"I'm wondering if I CAN replace A with B"
"I'm wondering if I COULD replace A with B, if ..."

"Could" implies a condition.
Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005
Regular Member 509
Martin - native English speaker and technical author.
katsudon  +  116412 Fri, 08 Jul 05 05:15 AM

 Eimai_Anglos wrote:
"I'm wondering if I CAN replace A with B" "I'm wondering if I COULD replace A with B, if ..." "Could" implies a condition.

Both are conditionals, Eimai_Anglos. Using 'could' makes it a more speculative conditional. This may be easiest to grasp if we look at it when the two are used for politeness. 'could' is more polite than 'can' because it allows the speaker speculate more about the request.

The same in this situation. Imagine that "replacing A with B" could cause an explosion. The speaker might well choose 'could' in such a situation because the speaker views the chance of the 'replacing' as more remote, as more speculative. 'can' makes it more real, gives the impression that the speaker intent to actually do it is greater.

 

Joined on Fri, Jun 10 2005
Junior Member 53
MrPedantic  +  116460 Fri, 08 Jul 05 07:56 AM

That's an interesting one, SFB.

Your sentences seem to have several possible uses, depending on context:

1. I'm wondering if I CAN  replace A with B.

— oblique request for an opinion about replacing A with B. "Do you think I should replace A with B?"

2. I'm wondering if I CAN  replace A with B.

— oblique request for permission to replace A with B. "May I replace A with B?"

3. I'm wondering if I CAN  replace A with B.

— sudden realization: 'it may be possible to replace A with B'. "What if I replace A with B?"

4. I'm wondering if I CAN  replace A with B.

— sudden doubt as to own capacity to replace A with B. "Am I able to replace A with B?"

5. I'm wondering if I COULD  replace A with B.

— oblique request for an opinion about replacing A with B. Slightly more doubting version of #1.

6. I'm wondering if I COULD  replace A with B.

—  request for permission to replace A with B; more deferential/polite than #2. "Might I replace A with B?"/"Would I be able to replace A with B?"

7. I'm wondering if I COULD  replace A with B.

— sudden realization: 'it might be possible to replace A with B!'. Version of #3: "What if I were to replace A with B?"

8. I'm wondering if I COULD  replace A with B.

— sudden doubt as to own capacity to replace A with B. Version of #4. "Would I be able to replace A with B?"

As Katsu says, as a rough rule of thumb, CAN gives an impression of more immediacy, whereas COULD distances the action a little.

No doubt there are other possibilities!

MrP

PS:

9. I'm wondering if I CAN  replace A with B.

— doubt as to possibility of replacing A with B.  "Maybe it isn't possible to replace A with B."

10. I'm wondering if I COULD  replace A with B.

— doubt as to possibility of replacing A with B.  "Maybe it wouldn't be possible to replace A with B."

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SpoonfedBaby  +  116635 Fri, 08 Jul 05 08:55 PM
Many thanks to jeter, Eimai_Anglos,katsudon and MrPedantic.

I'm wondering if I can replace word_A with word_B in the sentence.
I  understand now I'm not asking a request but an opinion.  That's why I chose "can" over "could."

Spoonfedbaby

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