Grammar Question: Would or Could?

DustyC

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Hi, in the sentence below, which is accurate "would" or "could"? Or is there a better way to cast the sentence?

Space is limited to 35 people (kids & adults), so we would be grateful if families WOULD/COULD carpool so more kids can enjoy the festivities.

Many thanks!
 

cornflake

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Hi, in the sentence below, which is accurate "would" or "could"? Or is there a better way to cast the sentence?

Space is limited to 35 people (kids & adults), so we would be grateful if families WOULD/COULD carpool so more kids can enjoy the festivities.

Many thanks!

I'd say would. They already could, no reason to be grateful.

However, I can't help myself; I'm stuck on the logic. How will carpooling affect the space? If the space holds 35 people, what's the difference how the 35 people get there, and why would more be able to enjoy it if they came in larger groups? Five groups of seven people is the same as seven groups of five as 35 groups of one, if the limit is on number of people allowed in.
 

DustyC

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Good point re: logic of carpooling. This is for an invitation to a birthday party for a 5 year old. Space is limited to 35 people and I'd prefer more children attend than adults. So I'm hoping parents will carpool with other families so one adult can chaperone 2-3 children.
 

cornflake

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Good point re: logic of carpooling. This is for an invitation to a birthday party for a 5 year old. Space is limited to 35 people and I'd prefer more children attend than adults. So I'm hoping parents will carpool with other families so one adult can chaperone 2-3 children.

Oh, I get it. I'd change the wording from 'families' then, as that vaguely implies entire families are welcome and god knows people will just bring along random other siblings unless expressly prohibited (and some people don't seem to think not having the invitation addressed to others isn't an express prohibition).

It's got nothing to do with writing and you didn't ask, but if you're worried about the adults edging out the kids I'd go specific and arrange a couple of people to drive and try to play it off as a benefit. Maybe with something like 'as venue space is strictly limited, X and Y have graciously offered to carpool children to and from the party so that the greatest number of children can attend with the least trouble to parents. If interested in having X or Y pick up your child between TIME and TIME and drop off between TIME and TIME please whatever, tick this box, respond with something in the subject line, whatever ....'
 

LA*78

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I remember these ones by thinking:
could/can/capable
would/will/willing

So in this case because you're asking if they'd be willing to carpool, you'd use would.
 

wordartist

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Why not just say something like this?
"Space is limited to 35 people (kids & adults), so please carpool so we can have as few adults and as many kids as possible."
 

JBClemmens

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Would. The writer wants families to carpool, not merely to be grateful if they could. Would they be thankful if families could, and wouldn't?)
 

guttersquid

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Space is limited to 35 people (kids & adults), so we would be grateful if families WOULD/COULD carpool so more kids can enjoy the festivities.

Why use either?

Space is limited to 35 people (kids & adults), so we would be grateful if families carpool so more kids can enjoy the festivities.
 

LynnKHollander

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As an invitation, it needs editing for precision. Invite ONLY the people you want to attend. How they get to your party isn't really your business.
As writing: go with 'would'.
 

WriteRex

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Hi, in the sentence below, which is accurate "would" or "could"? Or is there a better way to cast the sentence?

Space is limited to 35 people (kids & adults), so we would be grateful if families WOULD/COULD carpool so more kids can enjoy the festivities.

Many thanks!

The answer depends entirely on what you mean.

If you mean to say that the families somehow lack the ability to carpool or are socially forbidden to carpool at this moment, then you use the term, "could".

If you mean to say that the families refuse to carpool by their own free will, then you use the term, "would".
 

Ken

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... for an invitation, I'd chop it up and simplify things to make it easier to process.

Space is limited. So please carpool if you can. That way more kids can attend.
 

guttersquid

I agree with Roxxsmom.
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Actually, the sentence makes no sense. If space is limited to 35 people, it doesn't matter whether they get there by carpooling or on horseback. The limit is still 35 people.
 

Chase

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Better sense?

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? :Shrug:
 

Once!

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I think the sentence does make sense. The more that people carpool, the higher the ratio of children to adults. For example, if someone owns a school bus we might have one adult and 34 children. But if every child is brought by two parents we could end up with something like 22 adults and 11 kids.

I would be explicit about what you are trying to achieve: Space inside the hall is limited to 35 people. We would like as many of these as possible to be kids, so we would be grateful if you would carpool where this is possible.

BTW, I had a couple of other issues which may be a transatlantic thing. When you said space is limited I instantly thought that you meant parking space (because that's the biggest problem here is southern England). And I have never heard of carpool being used as a verb!
 
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MookyMcD

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If a lot of people could carpool, but choose not to, there is no reason to be grateful. The fact that they "could" is irrelevant. I could make chili for dinner tonight, because I have all the stuff in the house I need to make chili. I'm cooking a ham.

So you've be grateful if they would. Alternatively, just say what you mean:

Space is limited to 35 people (kids & adults), so we would be grateful if families WOULD/COULD please carpool so more kids can enjoy the festivities.
 

StephanieZie

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And I have never heard of carpool being used as a verb!

We use carpool as a verb in the US, so it sounds okay to me.


My issue with this is not the could/would thing. It's just not clear enough. When you say "Space is limited so please carpool so as many kids as possible can attend." to me, it doesn't read as asking some parents to bring multiple kids while other parents stay home. It suggests parking issues, but when you say the limit is 35 people, it's just confusing.

Here's the issue as I see it: You're basically asking a subset of adults not to attend, but to send their kids with other adults. Saying that straight out sounds just a tad presumptuous or rude, so you're trying to couch it in niceties by requesting that people carpool, but I think your real meaning is obscured in the polite translation. This may be one of those instances where you have to eschew the niceties and be direct, though.

I think cornflake's suggested wording comes pretty close, maybe with an added sentiment like "Parents, it's your day off! We are arranging carpooling for the kids, so we can have X pick up your child before the party and drop them off after."

How old are the kids? If this is a party for young kids, like under seven, I would give parents the option of accompanying their children if they prefer. For older kids, I think it's perfectly acceptable to say something like "You can drop your kids off at X time and pick them up at Y time."

Whatever you decide to do, I just think you need to make your expectations clear.
 
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