4.223 politeness: 'can' and 'could'

If you want to say something during a discussion, you can indicate politely that you are going to say it by using 'can'.

• Perhaps I can mention another possibility.
• If I can just intervene for one moment...

If you want to be even more polite, you use 'could'.

• Perhaps I could just illustrate this by mentioning two cases that I know of personally.
• Perhaps I could just ask you this...

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You also use 'can' and 'could' when you are mentioning an opinion or a way of describing something.

'Can' suggests that you approve of the opinion or description.

• English can be seen as an expressive discipline.

'Could' is more neutral.

• You could argue that this is irrelevant.
• You could call it a political offence.