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Originally Posted by X Mode I wish they would keep the noise down next door. - If they don't, then they don't want to. |
I have hard time understanding "would" in this example.
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Originally Posted by X Mode I wish they could keep the noise down next door. - If they don't, then maybe they are unable to for some reason. |
I don't have problem with this one.
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Originally Posted by X Mode If there is noise next door, then I think the sentence with "would" is more likely.  |
Right on! There's noise next door! "Shuddap, neightbors!" I murmurred. But in real life, I am extremely polite to people so I may ask them,
"
Could you please keep the voice down? (Or I'll call the police now!)" Here "could" doesn't really mean the ability of doing something but more like a polite request. But if the interrogtive starts with "can", then it implies somewhat ability and direct request.
"Would you keep the voice down?" It sounds like an indirect order or a less polite request because one is asking the other one's willingness to do something instead of putting himself to other's shoes.
So,
I wish they
could. They accepted the request and would do that.
"
Could I? Of course, I'm sorry! I
'll keep it down down."