[Grammar] Can or will be able to

[Joern Matthias]

Hi folks,

First of all, I hope that all of you are fine in spite of the corona crisis. It clearly shows that we are not invincible in this day and age.
Hang on in there and think positively.
Let us talk about something else, which is the English language.

I read 2 sentences in an article that confused me:

The first one is in the headline: "US Economy can recover if Trump sticks to April 30 deadline."

Question: Is the model verb "can" correct, although it refers to the future, or is "will be able to recover" correct? Is "can" acceptable here because the simple present tense is used in headlines?

The second sentence is just below: "The US economy can get past the novel corona pandemic if President Trump sticks to his April 30 deadline, according............"

Question: Is it not better to use "will be able to get past" because it has future reference and nothing to with present decisions on the future? Why was "can" used in both sentences?

Here is the following link: https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets...om-coronavirus-if-trump-sticks-april-deadline.

Stay strong!

Joern

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

If you can, you're able to. If you're able to, you can. They mean the same thing. You can replace can in both those lines with will be able to. The only difference is that it will take longer to read.

If it can, it's able to. If it can't, it isn't.

 

[jutfrank]

Question: Is the model verb "can" correct, although it refers to the future, or is "will be able to recover" correct? Is "can" acceptable here because the simple present tense is used in headlines?

Yes, it's highly appropriate. No, that's not the reason.

Question: Is it not better to use "will be able to get past" because it has future reference and nothing to with present decisions on the future? Why was "can" used in both sentences?

No. You can think of can here as expressing present ability. This present ability will allow the US economy to get past the pandemic.

 

[Joern Matthias]

Yes, it's highly appropriate. No, that's not the reason.



No. You can think of can here as expressing present ability. This present ability will allow the US economy to get past the pandemic.

Hello jutfrank,

First of all happy Easter and thank you very much for your time explaining the use of "can" here in my sentence.
You talked about present ability allowing the US economy to get past the pandemic. So far this has actually not happened.
In the following sentences, I would like to talk about "can" and "may".

Situation 1: I am outside with my wife and the weather is nice.
Could I say, "I hope you have not forgotten our raincoats because the weather can change." meaning that the present ability will allow the weather to change, or is it only correct here to say, "I hope you have not forgotten our raincoats because the weather may change." meaning that the weather is likely to change?
Here, the change of the weather has not occurred as the US economy getting past the pandemic has not.

Situation 2: A riot has started where I live and I am talking to a friend of mine about it.
Could I say, "I want this riot to stop. It can get out of hand." meaning that the present ability will allow this riot to get out of hand, or is it only correct here to say, "I want this riot to stop. It may get out of hand." meaning that the riot is likely to get out of hand?
Here as well, the riot getting out of hand has not occurred as the US economy getting past the pandemic has not.

Situation 3: A mother wants to stop her son from going outside because of the corona virus.
Could she say, " I don't want you to go outside because you can catch the virus." expressing present ability which will allow her son to catch the virus, or is it only correct to say, " I don't want you to go outside because you may catch the virus." meaning that her son is likely to catch the virus.
Once again, the catching of the virus has not taken place as the US economy getting past the pandemic has not.

Situation 4: A father says to his son,"Why are you playing with this expensive vase. You can break it." expressing present ability.
or should he say,"Why are you playing with this expensive vase. You may break it." meaning it is likely to break.
Again, the breaking of the vase has not happened as the US economy getting past the pandemic has not.

I know that the difference is very subtle. What is the trick to find out which is correct?

 

[GoesStation]

You should use could instead of "can" in each of your sample sentences. Each one is about possibility, not capability.

 

[Joern Matthias]

You should use could instead of "can" in each of your sample sentences. Each one is about possibility, not capability.

Hello GoesStation,

Happy Easter and thank you very much for your reply.

What is the difference between capability and possibility?
How do I know whether it is about capability or possibility?

 

[GoesStation]

What is the difference between capability and possibility?
How do I know whether it is about capability or possibility?

My suggested distinction between possibility and capability isn't really helpful. Forget I said it. I should have contrasted possibility and likelihood.

The weather can change: It's not impossible for the weather to change. Weather changing is possible.
The weather could change: It's not unlikely that the weather will change. The weather changing is at least somewhat likely.

 

[jutfrank]

Hello jutfrank,
First of all happy Easter and thank you very much for your time

Thanks. Happy Easter to you too.

There's a lot to address here so I'll keep it simple.

In the following sentences, I would like to talk about "can" and "may".

First of all, don't use can in any of those sentences. In each sentence, the idea is future possibility. We don't use can to talk about this kind of possibility. I suggest you use might instead.

Your comparison with the pandemic sentence is not good, because in that sentence, the idea is present ability, not future possibility.

I know that the difference is very subtle. What is the trick to find out which is correct?

If the idea is about a possible future outcome to a specific situation, as it is in all of your sentences, use might.

We do sometimes use can for possibility, but only when you wish to make a generalisation, without any particular reference to time. Since in your sentences you're thinking about specific situations, and since the possibility concerns a future outcome, you should use might.

 

[Tdol]

think positively.

I think it is positive thinking and the desire to persuade and convince readers that has led to choosing can. We can do this sounds more positive and encouraging than we will be able to do this. Cheerleaders would use can.

 

[Joern Matthias]

Hello jutfrank,

Thank you very much for your time.

I have one question concerning situation 3, in which a mother does not want her son to go outside because of the corona virus. She says, "I don't want you to go outside because you might catch the virus."
Let us assume she means that her son should not go outside because he can catch the virus in general, I mean in any situation, anytime, not only in this particular situation, wouldn't it therefore also be correct for her to say, "I don't want you to go outside because you can catch the virus."? The mother does not only want to refer to the possible future outcome to this specific situation of her son going outside.

Let us think of another situation similar to the previous one.

A man says to his wife, "Don't you ever let our son touch the chain saw in the shed because it might kill him."
Let us imagine here that he means that his son should not touch the chain saw in the shed because it (the chain saw) can kill him in any situation, anytime, e.g. if the father saws some wood with it while his son is playing dangerously close to him, wouldn't it therefore also be correct for him to say to his wife, "Don't you ever let our son touch the chain saw in the shed because it (the chain saw) can kill him."? The father does not only want to refer to the possible future outcome to this specific situation of his son touching the chain saw in the shed.

 

[jutfrank]

Let us assume she means that her son should not go outside because he can catch the virus in general, I mean in any situation, anytime, not only in this particular situation, wouldn't it therefore also be correct for her to say, "I don't want you to go outside because you can catch the virus."?

Yes, that's how it would sound—that's she's talking generally. Also because of this, the second you would sound like an impersonal reference to people in general, (not the same as the first you, which refers to her son specifically.)

A man says to his wife, "Don't you ever let our son touch the chain saw in the shed because it might kill him."
Let us imagine here that he means that his son should not touch the chain saw in the shed because it (the chain saw) can kill him in any situation, anytime, e.g. if the father saws some wood with it while his son is playing dangerously close to him, wouldn't it therefore also be correct for him to say to his wife, "Don't you ever let our son touch the chain saw in the shed because it (the chain saw) can kill him."?

Yes, that's right.