When to use would and when to use could

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Stannum

#159877 Fri, 18 Nov 05 05:52 AM

Anonymous wrote:

Which sentence is correct:

1. I would be grateful if you could provide me with the balance sheet for Mourant CDO by close of business tommorrow.

2. I would be grateful if you would provide me with the balance sheet for Moraunt CDO by close of business tommorrow.

both are correct but the first sounds better because of the lack of repetition

robert

Stannum

Joined on Fri, Oct 28 2005

Melbourne Australia

Regular Member (526)

Forbes

#160004 Fri, 18 Nov 05 01:23 PM

It is virtually impossible to lay down rules about the use of modal verbs in English in a forum such as this.

The following sentences give an example of how tricky it can be:

I am so hungry I could eat a horse.

There was a time I could eat a horse, but now I can only manage a goat.

It is a question of taking each case you come across it and asking what it means. Like a lot if things it will gradually fall into place.

Forbes

Joined on Thu, Jun 16 2005

Regular Member (834)

Verbs, Modals, Modal verbs

Anonymous

#167809 Thu, 08 Dec 05 10:00 PM

Alright, so modals are not inflected... That should mean they are non finite. How come they do not work in nonfinte contexts such as infinitive clauses then?

If you argue that the form of the verb is what marks an inflection, how do you explain that put is the past form of put? No inflection there either, yet we know there is a difference.

Laure

(I am interested in that tense and modal debate, so I just thought I'd ask)

Anonymous

Verbs, Tenses, Modals, Clauses, Inflections, Infinitive clauses

Anonymous

#341965 Thu, 22 Mar 07 08:14 AM

I would't do this work.

Anonymous

Forbes

#342807 Sat, 24 Mar 07 11:45 AM

Anonymous wrote:

Which sentence is correct:

1. I would be grateful if you could provide me with the balance sheet for Mourant CDO by close of business tommorrow.

2. I would be grateful if you would provide me with the balance sheet for Moraunt CDO by close of business tommorrow.

When I started in the law some 40 odd years ago I was told that the correct form (at least for a lawyer when writing) was:

I should be grateful if you would...

or (but not quite so refined)

We shall be grateful if you will...

The first always struck me as suggesting:

I ought to be grateful...

Native English speakers argue fiercely about the correct usage of modal verbs. It is futile for learners of English to try and find rules for every situation.

Forbes