Guest  +  78439 Fri, 04 Mar 05 06:55 PM Hi, i would like to to know the rules that need to be followed when using the words, "would " and "could" Guest

	Vince  +  78460 Fri, 04 Mar 05 08:33 PM To make things more clear: Would is just the past tense of will; could the past tense of can. Vince Joined on Wed, Feb 23 2005 Germany Full Member 156 Tenses, Past Tenses

	equivocal  +  78478 Fri, 04 Mar 05 11:11 PM I would use 'would' (heheh) when I want to say something that I will do. So, "I would go to the cinema if I didn't have so much work" would mean that if I had less work, then its off to the cinema for me to catch a movie. If I said instead "I could go to the cinema if I didn't have so much work", then it means that I have other choices, maybe stay at home, or go shopping or whatever. 'Would' is more definite and 'could' expresses more of a possibility. equivocal Joined on Tue, Mar 1 2005 Junior Member 58

	cacarr  +  78507 Sat, 05 Mar 05 01:33 AM "Would is just the past tense of will" I don't beleive that it is proper to say that a modal has a past "tense." Modals can not be inflected for tense. "Will" and "would" are modals of volition/prediction. "Would" is sometimes a modal that corresponds with "will" but refers to past time...but it is not a past tense form of "will." "Will" is also used to refer to future time as English does not have a future "tense," strictly speaking. Lets see...what else? "Would" and "could" are used in "unreal" conditional sentences such as: I would run in the marathon next week if I could . = I can't run in the marathon so I won't. Note that "would" is in association with an event in future time in this instance... cacarr Joined on Sat, Mar 5 2005 New Member 33 Tenses, Modals, Past Tenses, Conditionals

	CalifJim  +  78516 Sat, 05 Mar 05 01:57 AM I'm not sure anyone has actually compiled a set of "rules", but note that "could" often means "would be able to", so in a way "could" sometimes contains the meaning of "would" within it. "could" cannot always be paraphrased this way, but it very often can. I thought I could do it. = I thought I would be able to do it. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,389 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

	just the truth  +  78534 Sat, 05 Mar 05 02:45 AM Jim wrote: I'm not sure anyone has actually compiled a set of "rules", but note that "could" often means "would be able to", so in a way "could" sometimes contains the meaning of "would" within it. "could" cannot always be paraphrased this way, but it very often can. I thought I could do it. = I thought I would be able to do it. I respectfully submit that you have misanalysed this, Jim. does not mean or . equals . is simply a reporting mechanism. I thought I would be able to do it. = I thought, "I will be able to do it". ================== Cacarr is dead on with her/his description of the modal as not having past tense. Sure, is used in past time situations, but so is ; ---------------- That flight will have already arrived. This request is in the form of an Information / Pro-Forma pack which your organisation will have already received. Everyone Will Have Already Seen This But I Thought It Was Funny ... The families of those who have already died or been injured will have already been helped by the 3 Service Benevolent Funds ------------------- The modal auxiliary verbs, which can operate in any tense/time situation, can only be one thing, tenseless. just the truth Joined on Mon, Dec 27 2004 Regular Member 849 Verbs, Auxiliaries, Tenses, Modals, Past Tenses, Modal Auxiliaries

	Casi  +  78551 Sat, 05 Mar 05 03:40 AM CJ: . . . "could" often means "would be able to", so in a way "could" sometimes contains the meaning of "would" within it. Agreed. Not true synonyms of course, as you noted, but close enough. My dialect shares that distribution. EX: I would (be able to) do it, but. . . EX: I could do it, but . . . Casi Joined on Sat, Sep 25 2004 Regular Member 547 Dialects, Synonyms

	CalifJim  +  78594 Sat, 05 Mar 05 05:40 AM I respectfully submit that you have misanalysed this, Jim. does not mean or . Terry, Could you, (i.e., Would you be able to), show me where in my post I said either that "would" means "could" or that "would" means "be able to"? Because if you can, then you must not be able to read and understand English very well. The use of "respectfully" in this context is, pragmatically, a sign that you do not mean any respect whatsoever. I respectfully submit that you are an idiot. CalifJim

	just the truth  +  78598 Sat, 05 Mar 05 06:14 AM Jim: Terry, could you, (i.e., Would you be able to), show me where in my post I said either that "would" means "could" or that "would" means "be able to"? JTT: Gladly, Jim, because you've asked so nicely. Jim: "... so in a way "could" sometimes contains the meaning of "would" within it. CJ just the truth