His brother can't help him much

[NAL123]

A: He's deep in debt (now). Why doesn't he ask his brother for help?

B1: His brother can't help him much (or pay off his debts).
B2: I don't think his brother can help him much.
B3: The debts are so high even his brother can't help him much.

Are sentences B1, B2 and B3 correct using "can"? Would "could" also fit in them in place of "can", with a hypothetical/conditional meaning as in:

B1: (If he were to ask his brother for help), he wouldn't be able to help him. (Couldn't=wouldn't be able to)
B2: (If he were to ask his brother for help), I don't think he would be able to help him. (Could=would be able to)

 

[Rover_KE]

As always, we need the source and author of the text, please.

 

[NAL123]

As always, we need the source and author of the text, please.

The context and sentences are all mine.

 

[emsr2d2]

The context and sentences are all mine.

Please remember in future to tell us in post #1 if you wrote the text yourself.

 

[jutfrank]

Are sentences B1, B2 and B3 correct using "can"?

They're your sentences so you obviously know what you mean. The modal verb can expresses ability. It's similar to 'is (not) able to'. You're saying that his brother doesn't have enough money to solve the problem.

Would "could" also fit in them in place of "can", with a hypothetical/conditional meaning as in:

No. Like I said, your sentences were clearly devised to express a sense of ability. There's nothing conditional or hypothetical about them. The sense is that his brother is not in a financial position to help him. That's a statement of reality.

B1: (If he were to ask his brother for help), he wouldn't be able to help him. (Couldn't=wouldn't be able to)
B2: (If he were to ask his brother for help), I don't think he would be able to help him. (Could=would be able to)

Those sentences use would, not 'could'.

 

[emsr2d2]

For "couldn't" to work, you'd need something like "He did ask his brother, but he couldn't help him".

 

[NAL123]

Those sentences use would, not 'could'.

So you mean, in the given context, "his brother wouldn't be able to help him" would work, but not "his brother couldn't help him". Am I right?

 

[NAL123]

For "couldn't" to work, you'd need something like "He did ask his brother, but he couldn't help him".

Then I think the second sentence in the OP with "could" should work:

B2: I don't think his brother could help him.

What would you say?

 

[jutfrank]

So you mean, in the given context, "his brother wouldn't be able to help him" would work, but not "his brother couldn't help him". Am I right?

Yes.

I'm struggling slightly to understand your question. Are you asking something about the differences between 'could' and 'couldn't'? In your context, you can use the former but not the latter.

 

[NAL123]

Yes.

You can use could but not couldn't.

So "I don't think his brother could help him" is correct, right?

 

[jutfrank]

Yes.

 

[NAL123]

I'm struggling slightly to understand your question. Are you asking something about the differences between 'could' and 'couldn't'? In your context, you can use the former but not the latter.

My original question was about the use of both "could" and "couldn't", not their differences.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, I see what you were asking now.

 

[NAL123]

No. Like I said, your sentences were clearly devised to express a sense of ability. There's nothing conditional or hypothetical about them. The sense is that his brother is not in a financial position to help him. That's a statement of reality.

Just one more question, please:

You said above that we should use can't (and no couldn't)in the OP sentences because we're expressing the fact that the brother is not in a financial position to help him. But don't you think that here we're assuming that person A in the OP knows for sure exactly why person X is not asking his brother for help, which is not having enough money? I mean, in reality, there may be several possible reasons why person X doesn't ask his brother for help, and while speaking with person B in the OP, person A may have all these reasons in their mind. The reasons might be:
1) the brother does not have enough money
2) person X and their brother have a sour relationship
3) person X is feeling shy to ask for money etc.

So in the OP, when person A asks:
"Why doesn't he (ie person X) ask his brother for help?"

Person B, without giving a direct reply to the question, says:
B1: his brother couldn't help him.

It's like:
B1: (I don't know why he doesn't ask, but, even if he were to ask his brother), he couldn't (=wouldn't be able to) help him.

(Because, I (ie person B) know that his brother is not financially very stable)

My question: Wouldn't the above be possible?

 

[jutfrank]

But don't you think that here we're assuming that person A in the OP knows for sure exactly why person X is not asking his brother for help, which is not having enough money?

No, I'm not assuming that at all. Are you? It's your context, so you tell me what you mean.

But in reality, there may be several possible reasons why person X doesn't ask his brother for help, and while speaking with person B in the OP, person A may have all these reasons in their mind. The reasons might be:
1) the brother does not have enough money
2) person X and their brother have a sour relationship
3) person X is feeling shy to ask for money etc.

In your context, person A's question Why doesn't he ask his brother for help? appears to be a genuine question. It suggests that person A thinks that asking his brother for help is the most obvious solution to the problem, precisely because his brother is in a financial position to help.

So in the OP, when person A asks:
"Why doesn't he (ie person X) ask his brother for help?"

Person B, without giving a direct reply to the question, says:
B1: his brother couldn't help him.

to indirectly let person A know the actual reason (ie reason 1 above).

If the real reason is that the brother is not in a financial position to help, then can is an appropriate word to use, as it's meant as a simple fact: His brother can't help him. Alternatively, person B could express the thought as a future prediction: His brother won't be able to help him.

It's like:
B1: (I don't know why he doesn't ask, but, even if he were to ask his brother), he couldn't (=wouldn't be able to) help him.

(Because, I (ie person B) know that his brother is not financially very stable)

My question: Wouldn't the above be possible?

Person B may respond with a conditional sentence, sure. This is fine:

His brother wouldn't be able to help him.

Use wouldn't be able to for this instead of couldn't.

 

[NAL123]

Person B may respond with a conditional sentence, sure.

You mean without an explicit conditional clause, right?

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, right. Sorry I didn't make that clear. The condition is implied.