could have been saved vs. would have been able to be saved

[michelleconcepci]

Hi there!

Could someone tell me if there is a difference between these two sentences?

-The man could have been saved if they had arrived in time.
-The man would have been able to be saved if they had arrived in time.

Thanks,
Michelle

[5jj]

Hi there!

Could someone tell me if there is a difference between these two sentences?

-The man could have been saved if they had arrived in time.
-The man would have been able to be saved if they had arrived in time.

Thanks,
Michelle

The first is far more likely.
Be able to is rare with passive constructions; it appears to associate ability with the grammatical subject of the sentence, which is nonsense.