Can or could for present or future suggestions?

English grammar questions, answered by Alan

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Howtosay
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Can or could for present or future suggestions?

Post by Howtosay »

Hello. Alan! Could you please clarify the following:

I've read in the "Living Grammar" book that "Сan is used to express possibility in the present or future. For example, Snow can be dangerous for drivers." The first question is: Is there the difference between "Snow can be dangerous for drivers" and "Snow might be dangerous for drivers." On the other hand, "Active Grammar" book states that we use could, not can for possibilities in the future or past. Unfortunately, I can't see the year of publication of these books. So, what book do I beleive? Do we say "Snow can or could be dangerous for drivers? Thank you!
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Alan
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Re: Can or could for present or future suggestions?

Post by Alan »

'This is an issue of semantics, not grammar but...

Snow CAN be dangerous = Snow IS SOMETIMES dangerous (a factual statement of general possibility)

Snow COULD/MIGHT be dangerous, on the other hand, is simply speculating about the existence of a specific possibility (i.e. there may, in fact, turn out to be no danger at all).

Clearly, the first is more plausible as a warning to drivers than the second!
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