1) ‘This could/might happen in Ohio if we’re not careful’, say Cleveland Clinic doctor, nurse fighting coronavirus in New York hospital. (https://www.cleveland.com/coronavir...ighting-coronavirus-in-new-york-hospital.html)Please give us some complete sentences to consider. You should always do this.
I think depending on context, "something could happen" is sometimes interchangeable with "something might happen", and sometimes not.
I think there's another way to distinguish between the two "could"s in (1) and (3).My own strictly personal belief is that 'could' suggests a more impersonal belief, 'might' a more personal opinion. Also, because 'could' is often the distancing form of 'can', it carries (for me) a hint of ability on the part of the subject.
1. Donald Trump could win the coming election.
2. Donald Trump might win the coming election.
#1 suggests to me that this possibility exists and that Trump may have the ability to win.
#2 suggests to me that I believe the possibility exists.
I am not getting into a discussion on this, because I don't think I can credibly justify this hair-splitting difference. In practical terms, there is often no significant difference.
However, there can be a real difference, for example in
3. Luke has a degree and a teaching qualification, so he could apply for that job in Turkey.
4. Luke has a degree and a teaching qualification, so he might apply for that job in Turkey.
Both of these can suggest the possibility that he will apply. Only #3 can mean that he is able to apply; it may not suggest that there is a possibility that he will.
Two weeks before the final, when Tim, Chris and Zoe were a long way ahead of the rest of the field, Could anyone of them have said, "anyone of us could win this!"? Or it would've had to be, "anyone of us might win this!"?I agree that post #3 is too long to do justice to. All I will say is that I would, unless I had a good reason to do otherwise, assume that those publications used the right word for the context.
As far as my attempt at an explanation goes, here's the first context that sprang to my mind. In June of this year, my tennis club organised a singles tournament. I entered it. At the start of week 1, anyone could win. We all had zero points and hadn't played any matches yet. By the time we were two weeks away from the final, three people were a long way ahead of the rest of the field (Tim, Chris and Zoe). At that point, all three of them could have said "I really might win this tournament!" The rest of us knew we no longer had a chance.
Two weeks before the final, when Tim, Chris and Zoe were a long way ahead of the rest of the field, could any one of them have said, "Any one of us could win this!"? Or would it have had to be, "Any one of us might win this!"?
What's the difference between "something could happen" and "something might happen"?
As far as my attempt at an explanation goes, here's the first context that sprang to my mind. In June of this year, my tennis club organised a singles tournament. I entered it. At the start of week 1, anyone could win. We all had zero points and hadn't played any matches yet. By the time we were two weeks away from the final, three people were a long way ahead of the rest of the field (Tim, Chris and Zoe). At that point, all three of them could have said "I really might win this tournament!" The rest of us knew we no longer had a chance.
That's generally true, but if "might" is strongly emphasized in speech, it means the opposite: it's not impossible, but very unlikely.… saying that 'you might win' is a way of expressing a real possibility.
if "might" is strongly emphasized in speech, it means the opposite: it's not impossible, but very unlikely.
Yes, it's very unlikely but still 'real' in the sense that I'm using the word 'real'. I mean that it's not just a theoretical possibility.
But "might" could be a theoretical possibility (an idea) in another context, right?
1) Your child might do better with a different teacher.For example?
Is "I might think" a fixed expression too?1) No, this is clearly intended to be real. The interpretation is that someone is talking about a real possibility for the child.
2) I think this could be both but it's most likely that the speaker is thinking hypothetically. That is, he's not really ever going to appear in a fashion magazine, but given his good looks, it's at least imaginable.
3) Forget about this example. It is not meant to express a real possibility, no, but it's best treated as a fixed expression (you might say), with a specific use.
4) Again, I'd advise you to ignore this example. You should treat this as part of the idiomatic expression You might think. It's not particularly helpful to analyse the parts of fixed expressions.
Is "I might think" a fixed expression too?
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