When deciding between ‘would’ and ‘could’ in a sentence, it’s essential to understand their differences and when to use each one. Let’s explore the context of the sentence to determine the correct choice.
1. Understanding ‘Would’ and ‘Could’
‘Would’ is often used to express hypothetical situations, future actions, or a past habitual action. It’s used for actions that are considered as a possibility or desire under certain conditions. ‘Could’, on the other hand, is used to indicate ability or possibility, often in a more general sense.
2. Applying the Correct Choice
In the sentence “Something was wrong with the engine. It ____ not move,” we are talking about the engine’s inability to move due to a problem. This scenario reflects a past inability, which makes ‘could’ the correct choice. ‘Could not’ indicates the engine’s inability to perform the action at the time.
3. Why ‘Could’ Fits Here
When referring to something that could not happen due to a problem or limitation in the past, ‘could’ is the right word choice. ‘Would not’ would typically imply a future conditional action or a hypothetical situation, which doesn’t fit with the past context of the engine’s issue.
4. Summary
To sum up, in the sentence “Something was wrong with the engine. It ____ not move,” ‘could’ is the appropriate choice because it indicates past inability. ‘Would’ would suggest a different meaning and isn’t fitting in this context.
コメント