azz
Member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2004
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- French
- Home Country
- France
- Current Location
- United States
a. Twenty people could have been killed in that attack. Fortunately the we acted rapidly and nobody was killed.
b. Twenty people might have been killed in that attack. Fortunately the we acted rapidly and nobody was killed.
c. Twenty people could have been killed in that attack. We don't yet know how many people were killed.
d. Twenty people might have been killed in that attack. We don't yet know how many people were killed.
Which of the above sentences are grammatically correct?
The idea is that the first sentences are ambiguous.
They might mean:
1. It was possible that twenty people would be killed. That didn't happen.
and
2. It is possible that twenty people were killed.
b. Twenty people might have been killed in that attack. Fortunately the we acted rapidly and nobody was killed.
c. Twenty people could have been killed in that attack. We don't yet know how many people were killed.
d. Twenty people might have been killed in that attack. We don't yet know how many people were killed.
Which of the above sentences are grammatically correct?
The idea is that the first sentences are ambiguous.
They might mean:
1. It was possible that twenty people would be killed. That didn't happen.
and
2. It is possible that twenty people were killed.