TDOL: UE Quiz-Wish

[blacknomi]

Q2 - I wish they ____ keep the noise down next door.
would
could




I think "could" is better than "would". Frankly, I think "would" is wrong.




Kind Regards,
Blacknomi

[Steven D]

Originally Posted by blacknomi

Q2 - I wish they ____ keep the noise down next door.
would
could




I think "could" is better than "would". Frankly, I think "would" is wrong.




Kind Regards,
Blacknomi

I wish they would keep the noise down next door. - If they don't, then they don't want to.

I wish they could keep the noise down next door. - If they don't, then maybe they are unable to for some reason.

If there is noise next door, then I think the sentence with "would" is more likely.

Context would determine this, as well as the speaker's point of view. It's possible to use the sentence with "could", but I would then ask, "Why "could" and not "would"?"

Does the speaker believe that for some reason they can't keep the noise down? If so, I would say "could" is a likely choice.

Does the speaker believe they refuse to keep the noise down, or would refuse if asked? If so, the I would say "would" is a likely choice.

Despite these differences and viewpoints, one might say they mean the same thing. I tend to think speakers have reasons for choosing "would" or "could" in such a case. I would, therefore, say that there is a difference in meaning.

[Steven D]

Originally Posted by blacknomi

Q2 - I wish they ____ keep the noise down next door.
would
could




I think "could" is better than "would". Frankly, I think "would" is wrong.




Kind Regards,
Blacknomi

No, "would" is not wrong. However, try saying "I wish I would keep the noise down." How does that sound to you? I ask because using "I wish I would" has come up before here. So, I'm curious about what you think about it as someone whose first language is not English.

Thanks,

[blacknomi]

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.

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.

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."

[blacknomi]

Originally Posted by X Mode

No, "would" is not wrong. However, try saying "I wish I would keep the noise down." How does that sound to you? I ask because using "I wish I would" has come up before here. So, I'm curious about what you think about it as someone whose first language is not English.

Thanks,

Hello! X Mode,
I'm sorry. It sounds odd to my ear. Do tell it if I am not on the wrong track!


Let me tell you how I feel,
"I wish I could keep the noise down."


I wish I could, but in reality, I can't. Why not?
"I can't because I just can not do it. When the vaccum cleans the carpet, it makes a lot of noise and it's designed to be like this. How can I do with it? You tell me! I would like to/want keep it down of course, I can't tolerate it myself. Well...I wish I had the ability to keep it quieter." I wouldn't think it a willingness to do something. It's simple that I can't do it.I am not the master of its mind. I wish I were, then I could. It's odd to say "would."




It's your turn now!

[Tdol]

I'll look at this in a couple of days. I'm afraid I won't be online for a few days as I'm travelling.

[Steven D]

Originally Posted by blacknomi

Hello! X Mode,
I'm sorry. It sounds odd to my ear. Do tell it if I am not on the wrong track!


Let me tell you how I feel,
"I wish I could keep the noise down."


I wish I could, but in reality, I can't. Why not?
"I can't because I just can not do it. When the vaccum cleans the carpet, it makes a lot of noise and it's designed to be like this. How can I do with it? You tell me! I would like to/want keep it down of course, I can't tolerate it myself. Well...I wish I had the ability to keep it quieter." I wouldn't think it a willingness to do something. It's simple that I can't do it.I am not the master of its mind. I wish I were, then I could. It's odd to say "would."




It's your turn now!

You've got it. You're correct. It doesn't make sense to use "would" with "I wish" oftentimes. It can, but the context would have to allow for it. It would have to be a certain type of wish. It is possible that there is reason to use "could" here. "I wish I could the noise down."

There's no reason to think that you're refusing to keep the noise down or that for some reason it's impossible for you to do so if you are the one making the noise.

I've explained this before. I, at times, did not feel confident that people knew what I meant. They saw the "grammatical possibility". I'm not sure if they saw that it didn't make sense. Anyway, it's only come up a few times. And I won't bring it up if no one else does.

[blacknomi]

Originally Posted by tdol

I'll look at this in a couple of days. I'm afraid I won't be online for a few days as I'm travelling.

Have a nice trip!

[blacknomi]

I still have poroblems dealing with 'would' in this case. Could you explain more? I need your help.

Originally Posted by blacknomi

I have hard time understanding "would" in this example.


I don't have problem with this one.


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."

[RonBee]

"Could you keep the noise down?" is a polite way of making a request. Still, you would like them to keep the noise down. What they would do (if you had your way) would be quieter.