http://www.englishforums.com/English/GeneralEnglishGrammarQuestions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here.enCSMOD (Build: 3191.21962)http://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenTheseSentences-AboutCould/zxxcl/post.htm#490478Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:49:48 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:490478CalifJim0http://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenTheseSentences-AboutCould/zxxcl/post.htm#490478http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-490478.xml&nbsp;It&#39;s a run-on sentence.&nbsp; It should be two sentences or two independent clauses separated by a semi-colon.<br /> </p><p><i>Come when you like; I can see you any time.</i></p><p>With the imperative (<i><u>Come</u> when you like</i>) I would use only the present <i>can</i>.</p><p>I would not mix the tentativeness of <i>could</i> with the openness of <i>any time</i>.</p><p>I find the following sentence more in keeping with the idea of <i>could see you</i>.&nbsp; Note that there is a restriction here -- a condition. (This is the so-called Second Conditional.)<br /> </p><p><i>I could see you tomorrow if you came before noon.</i></p><p>CJ&nbsp;<div style="clear:both;"></div>http://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenTheseSentences-AboutCould/zxxch/post.htmWed, 19 Mar 2008 02:25:19 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:490474Viceidol1http://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenTheseSentences-AboutCould/zxxch/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-490474.xmlCome when you like, I <strong>can</strong> see you any time.&nbsp; <p>Come when you like, I <strong>could</strong> see you any time.</p> <p>What&#39;s the difference in using different modal here? I think when we are less certain, we use &quot;could&quot;. But I&#39;m not sure about this. Am I right?</p> <p>Thank you for your answer!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>