hanuman_2000  +  197764 Fri, 17 Feb 06 04:35 AM Hello, 1. My brother did not want play cricket, but his teachers were able to persuade him. 2. My brother did not want play cricket, but his teachers could / can persuade him. Which one is correct? hanuman_2000 Joined on Thu, Aug 12 2004 INDIA Contributing Member 1,644 Cricket

	CalifJim  +  197780 Fri, 17 Feb 06 05:49 AM The first one is the correct one.  "My brother did not want to play cricket, but his teachers were able to persuade him." Use "was able" or "were able" instead of "could" when you say that someone succeeded at some task.  Here the teachers did  persuade him to play cricket as they intended to do. A common formula is "... tried to X"  amd "was/were able to X". -- Did they try to persuade him to play cricket? -- Yes, they did, and they were able to persuade him to play cricket.  (They succeeded.) -- Did you try to catch the bus? -- Yes, I tried, and I was able to catch the bus.  (I succeeded. I did catch the bus.) CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,452 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Cricket

	Wampum  +  197901 Fri, 17 Feb 06 11:53 AM  Hanuman_2000 wrote: Hello, 1. My brother did not want play cricket, but his teachers were able to persuade him. 2. My brother did not want play cricket, but his teachers could / can persuade him. Which one is correct? Both are correct, Hanuman. It just depends on what you want to say. In 1. the past action is being discussed. The teachers persuaded the brother. In 2, using 'could', the speaker is referring to a potential future situation wherein the teachers may/might be able to persuade the brother to change his mind and play.  The reason that you can't use 'can' is because we don't use 'can' to discuss something that will actually happen or is actually happening. You can use 'can' to discuss a theoretical or a general possibility. [Michael Swan - Practical English Usage, 2nd edition, section 123, page 106] Wampum Joined on Fri, Feb 17 2006 New Member 12 Cricket