[Grammar] can vs could

[Jstudent]

Hello.

Is there any difference?

(A) Visiting relatives can be boring.
(B) Visiting relatives could be boring.

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello.

Is there any difference?

(A) Visiting relatives can be boring.
(B) Visiting relatives could be boring.

(B) is not natural IMO.

 

[Jstudent]

(B) is not natural IMO.

So, B doesn't make sense?

 

[5jj]

So, B doesn't make sense?

It's possible in certain contexts. As a simple statement of opinion, with no further context, only A is likely.

 

[emsr2d2]

Out of curiosity, by "visiting relatives", do you mean relatives who are visiting you, or the act of you going to visit relatives?

 

[Jstudent]

Out of curiosity, by "visiting relatives", do you mean relatives who are visiting you, or the act of you going to visit relatives?

I mean the act of going to visit them.

 

[5jj]

I mean the act of going to visit them.

It can, of course mean that, but I interpreted it the other way, as it happens. If you wish to avoid ambiguity, you'll need to rephrase in some way such as - 'It can be boring to visit relatives'

 

[philo2009]

Hello.

Is there any difference?

(A) Visiting relatives can be boring.
(B) Visiting relatives could be boring.

Yes.

Setting aside the alternative semantic interpretation ("relatives who visit can be boring"),

the first would mean

It is sometimes boring to visit relatives.

while the second either

It might be boring to visit relatives.

(i.e. if we ever actually did so).

or

It was sometimes boring to visit relatives.

(i.e. when we did it in the past).