I could if I was able to!

[TonyHarmsworth]

Having spent ages going through my novel replacing 'could' everywhere I, well, could ... I then had what I thought was a better manuscript.

However, when I was just running everything through the new version of Word, it highlighted every instance of 'was able to' and suggested changing it to 'could'. I think the scream could have been heard at the end of the street.

I found myself leaning towards 'was able to' rather than 'could' but mixed it up a bit.

What do you think? Why is 'could' such a no-no? Is 'was able to' any better?

 

[The Judge]

I've never seen "could" being vilified as a word, only as a concept, so "was able to" would be just as iffy.

I think the main objection to "could" is that it's a bit waffly and distancing, and clauses which include it might usefully be made more certain ie "I could see to the end of the road" could be "I saw to the end of the road" -- the "could" being taken as read (because if you couldn't, you wouldn't have seen it).

Of course, sometimes, you want that "could" in there, to make it clear what is and isn't possible or just to help with the rhythm. If the sentence works best with it in, then use it and don't feel the need to make the sentence even longer with "was able to". But if you're using it a lot, it might be an idea to reconsider how you are framing your sentences.

 

[TonyHarmsworth]

The following are all of the 'was able to' occasions in the novel and a few of the 'could' uses. The novel is 99,000 words.

"It had suffered the misfortune of a meteor strike before it was able to descend to Earth." we don't know if it intended to descend.
"I turned the monitor so Janet was able to see, typed the name and it appeared at the top of the screen."
"There was much celebration it landed successfully and was able to anchor" 'anchored' is a possibility but did not fit as well.
"It was at this point I was able to bring up another possibility." I didn't actually bring it up but had the option.
"This absorbed many particles before they could do damage," 'did' was not acceptable because this was a possibility, not an actual event.
"we could see the Kibo module and some of the extensive ISS solar arrays" 'saw' was a possibility here but 'could see' sounded better.
"the jointed arms could be rotated"

Above are a few examples. I am wanting to make what is taking place clear and that is all that matters.

 

[The Judge]

As I said, if the "could" fits the sentence, then use it. Certainly, I'd have no objection to the ones here.

As always, the questions we have to ask ourselves are whether there's an alternative that's better, and whether we're overusing the word/sentence structure. If you're sure you're safe on both grounds, then don't worry about it.

 

[TonyHarmsworth]

I have tried not to use 'like' in my writing, but again, Microsoft suggests that 'similar to' should be replaced by 'like'. Aaaarrrggghhhh!

 

[The Judge]

Personally, I don't pay any attention to the grammar suggestions the machines make, and I know for a fact they get things wrong. I do check the spelling suggestions, but even those are suspect a good number of times, so should never be followed blindly.

It sounds to me as if this Microsoft one is based on formal writing for dissertations and reports and the like, not for novels. Switch it off if you can, ignore it if you can't.

 

[J Riff]

Neither 'was able to' or 'could' works for a meteor descending>? 'Before it descended' will suffice nicely and hey, going back and changing a bunch of phrases hardly ever works out does it, because of the thing called flow, or something like it. If you were able to just use could, you could be able to fix everything. Good luck. * )

 

[Phyrebrat]

Tony, who is giving you this advice?

pH

 

[TonyHarmsworth]

It sounds to me as if this Microsoft one is based on formal writing for dissertations and reports and the like, not for novels. Switch it off if you can, ignore it if you can't.

It is quite useful for some punctuation, but I take your point. It also makes you think about what you've written.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I have tried not to use 'like' in my writing, but again, Microsoft suggests that 'similar to' should be replaced by 'like'. Aaaarrrggghhhh!

1. Turn off spelling amd grammar check. Mine broke a year or two ago and things go swimmingly without it (i run a manual one at the end and tell it to ignore multiple things - especially fragments)

2. Sentence patterns and overuse of words can be a problem - if you're overusing could that's a problem - but if you're overusing something else to replace it that's still the same problem.

True story, this. My erstwhile agent told me off for using with as a joining word (his suit was foreboding with a dark twill enhancing that) and I fought to stop using them. My new editor has added about ten into my new manuscript.... It's not the word that is the problem but an overused pattern.

 

[TonyHarmsworth]

Tony, who is giving you this advice?

pH

This came from a book called "The Word Loss Diet" by Rayne Hall. Was told it is highly respected.

 

[TonyHarmsworth]

Neither 'was able to' or 'could' works for a meteor descending>? 'Before it descended' will suffice nicely and hey, going back and changing a bunch of phrases hardly ever works out does it, because of the thing called flow, or something like it. If you were able to just use could, you could be able to fix everything. Good luck. * )

I know what you mean, but this is not a meteor descending. The object was struck by a meteor before it could descend.

 

[J Riff]

Ah, the old space-station-struck-by-meteor. Right, was able to and/or could. Could good.

 

[TonyHarmsworth]

Ah, the old space-station-struck-by-meteor. Right, was able to and/or could. Could good.

Ha, most certainly not! Sit in the corner and write "I should not assume." one hundred times.

 

[pambaddeley]

If you didn't bring up the possiblity - It was at this point I was able to bring up another possibility - then possibly At this point I could have brought up another possibility?

 

[Wiglaf]

The following are all of the 'was able to' occasions in the novel and a few of the 'could' uses. The novel is 99,000 words.

"It had suffered the misfortune of a meteor strike before it was able to descend to Earth." we don't know if it intended to descend. Either
"I turned the monitor so Janet was able to see, typed the name and it appeared at the top of the screen." Could
"There was much celebration it landed successfully and was able to anchor" 'anchored' is a possibility but did not fit as well. "...much celebration that it had landed and anchored successfully"?
"It was at this point I was able to bring up another possibility." I didn't actually bring it up but had the option. was able to, had the opportunity/option to
"This absorbed many particles before they could do damage," 'did' was not acceptable because this was a possibility, not an actual event. OK
"we could see the Kibo module and some of the extensive ISS solar arrays" 'saw' was a possibility here but 'could see' sounded better. OK
"the jointed arms could be rotated" OK, or were rotatable, or able to. Be creative.

Above are a few examples. I am wanting to make what is taking place clear and that is all that matters.

Just some ideas.
Also, you can adjust the rule set in Word. I routinely turn off the rule against contractions if I will be writing dialog. Try turning off the wordiness check.

 

[tinkerdan]

I too followed bad advice once and changed more than was necessary.

I'd leave the grammar checker active and always read aloud anything, such as this, that is flagged. I would definitely turn off the auto-correct; because it really mucks up some of the most simple typing errors and later makes you wonder how that word got there.

As to the could's, I find no problem leaving most, but you could re-engineer the sentences away from both your options; which would involve a lot of work.

As far as getting across what you mean:
Sometimes we try so hard we make it harder.

"It had suffered the misfortune of a meteor strike before it was able to descend to Earth." we don't know if it intended to descend.
In this case it's uncertain if it was damaged or destroyed do you want that ambivalence.

"I turned the monitor so Janet was able to see, typed the name and it appeared at the top of the screen."
So you want us to know Janet could see it.
I turned the monitor toward Janet and typed the name, which appeared at the bottom.
as opposed to
I turned the monitor away from Janet while I typed my password.

"There was much celebration it landed successfully and was able to anchor" 'anchored' is a possibility but did not fit as well.
(Honestly this doesn't connect the celebration that well with the success.)
There was much celebration, because it landed and anchored successfully.

"It was at this point I was able to bring up another possibility." I didn't actually bring it up but had the option.
(This one confuses me. If he didn't bring it up then why mention it? But this could be all about context.)
At this point there was another possibility, but I failed to mention it.

"This absorbed many particles before they could do damage," 'did' was not acceptable because this was a possibility, not an actual event.
This is dicey.
Even if they couldn't do damage, I'd think in most cases you would want to declare having removed all the particles before assuming they did no damage.
Other wise you remove most of the particles in case they might damage; which means now your are hoping the rest won't do damage.

"we could see the Kibo module and some of the extensive ISS solar arrays" 'saw' was a possibility here but 'could see' sounded better.
I'd vote for saw.

"the jointed arms could be rotated"

This sounds slightly awkward. Like most jointed arms are.
Anyway maybe:

Both context and dialogue, if these are dialogue, can determine what is best.
If they are dialogue then it might be more important to pay attention to how that character might say things in both casual and formal conversation.

 

[TonyHarmsworth]

"It had suffered the misfortune of a meteor strike before it was able to descend to Earth." we don't know if it intended to descend.
In this case it's uncertain if it was damaged or destroyed do you want that ambivalence.

Yes, we didn't know if it intended to descend. Actually this is made clear in the context.

"I turned the monitor so Janet was able to see, typed the name and it appeared at the top of the screen."
So you want us to know Janet could see it.

Yes, this was a person learning how a new system operated.

"There was much celebration it landed successfully and was able to anchor" 'anchored' is a possibility but did not fit as well.
(Honestly this doesn't connect the celebration that well with the success.)
There was much celebration, because it landed and anchored successfully.

Yes, thanks, much better.

"It was at this point I was able to bring up another possibility."

"This absorbed many particles before they could do damage,"

These both are clear when read in context.

Thanks for all of those suggestions and the time you took on it.

Tony