Tense problem: What is the difference in meaning?












1














1) Schools could ensure that motivated students participated.



2) Teachers could ensure that children gain more from working together.



Sentence 1 is about a hypothetical scenario in the future. This is why we have "could ensure" and "participated", but I saw sentence 2. It has "could ensure" but with the verb "gain".



Why is this?
What is the difference in the meaning?
If it not a hypothetical scenario in the future , why did the writer bring "could ensure"?






tense







share|improve this question
























  • On its own, as a complete sentence, your first example is in the past tense.
    – Matt
    2 hours ago
















1














1) Schools could ensure that motivated students participated.



2) Teachers could ensure that children gain more from working together.



Sentence 1 is about a hypothetical scenario in the future. This is why we have "could ensure" and "participated", but I saw sentence 2. It has "could ensure" but with the verb "gain".



Why is this?
What is the difference in the meaning?
If it not a hypothetical scenario in the future , why did the writer bring "could ensure"?






tense







share|improve this question
























  • On its own, as a complete sentence, your first example is in the past tense.
    – Matt
    2 hours ago














1












1








1







1) Schools could ensure that motivated students participated.



2) Teachers could ensure that children gain more from working together.



Sentence 1 is about a hypothetical scenario in the future. This is why we have "could ensure" and "participated", but I saw sentence 2. It has "could ensure" but with the verb "gain".



Why is this?
What is the difference in the meaning?
If it not a hypothetical scenario in the future , why did the writer bring "could ensure"?






tense







share|improve this question















1) Schools could ensure that motivated students participated.



2) Teachers could ensure that children gain more from working together.



Sentence 1 is about a hypothetical scenario in the future. This is why we have "could ensure" and "participated", but I saw sentence 2. It has "could ensure" but with the verb "gain".



Why is this?
What is the difference in the meaning?
If it not a hypothetical scenario in the future , why did the writer bring "could ensure"?






tense




tense






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 1 hour ago

























asked 3 hours ago









Antonio Conte

1346




1346












  • On its own, as a complete sentence, your first example is in the past tense.
    – Matt
    2 hours ago


















  • On its own, as a complete sentence, your first example is in the past tense.
    – Matt
    2 hours ago
















On its own, as a complete sentence, your first example is in the past tense.
– Matt
2 hours ago




On its own, as a complete sentence, your first example is in the past tense.
– Matt
2 hours ago










1 Answer
1






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3














You have two different meanings of could.



In the first, it is the past of can, and this is either hypothetical in the present, or actual in the past (past of "Schools can ensure that motivated students participate")



In the second, because of the present verb in the dependent clause, this cannot be past, so it involves what is now a separate meaning of could: a more tentative or more dubious version of can: something like "teachers might be able to ensure".






share|improve this answer





















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    You have two different meanings of could.



    In the first, it is the past of can, and this is either hypothetical in the present, or actual in the past (past of "Schools can ensure that motivated students participate")



    In the second, because of the present verb in the dependent clause, this cannot be past, so it involves what is now a separate meaning of could: a more tentative or more dubious version of can: something like "teachers might be able to ensure".






    share|improve this answer


























      3














      You have two different meanings of could.



      In the first, it is the past of can, and this is either hypothetical in the present, or actual in the past (past of "Schools can ensure that motivated students participate")



      In the second, because of the present verb in the dependent clause, this cannot be past, so it involves what is now a separate meaning of could: a more tentative or more dubious version of can: something like "teachers might be able to ensure".






      share|improve this answer
























        3












        3








        3






        You have two different meanings of could.



        In the first, it is the past of can, and this is either hypothetical in the present, or actual in the past (past of "Schools can ensure that motivated students participate")



        In the second, because of the present verb in the dependent clause, this cannot be past, so it involves what is now a separate meaning of could: a more tentative or more dubious version of can: something like "teachers might be able to ensure".






        share|improve this answer












        You have two different meanings of could.



        In the first, it is the past of can, and this is either hypothetical in the present, or actual in the past (past of "Schools can ensure that motivated students participate")



        In the second, because of the present verb in the dependent clause, this cannot be past, so it involves what is now a separate meaning of could: a more tentative or more dubious version of can: something like "teachers might be able to ensure".







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 2 hours ago









        Colin Fine

        28.4k24155




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