B
B45
Guest
Girl wants to get in a almost full elevator. Someone blurts out:
No worries, we could/can fit one more!
Are both okay?
No worries, we could/can fit one more!
Are both okay?
Girl wants to get in a almost full elevator. Someone blurts out:
- Status
MikeNewYork
VIP Member
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2002
- Member Type
- Academic
- Native Language
- American English
- Home Country
- United States
- Current Location
- United States
Yes.
B
B45
Guest
Why is could correct as well? Isn't could used as a possibility or suggestion?
Shouldn't it be can, because we can fit one more?
SoothingDave
VIP Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2009
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- American English
- Home Country
- United States
- Current Location
- United States
"Can" is natural here. "Could" is possible, but unlikely.
charliedeut
VIP Member
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2009
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Spanish
- Home Country
- Spain
- Current Location
- Spain
I personally feel that "can" is somehow more inviting, more "sure-no-worries-get-in"-ish, while "could" suggests to me that the speaker is sort of resigned, as if they felt the girl will get in irrespective of their opinion. I would still favor "can", though.
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2007
- Member Type
- Other
- Native Language
- American English
- Home Country
- United States
- Current Location
- United States
Charlie, I can't support this idea of "could." I suppose you are thinking the implied conditional is "... if you insist on forcing yourself in."
I'd say it's "could" because the implied conditional is "...if you want to try to squish in with us."
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2009
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- British English
- Home Country
- UK
- Current Location
- UK
Note my corrections above.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- abo.omar
- Ask a Teacher
- Tags waiting for source information
