be going to/could

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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > be going to/could

be going to/could

Ruwayda37

be going to/could

Good day fellow teachers,

Could you please help me understand this point in grammar:

In Close-up b1 1st edition, there was this question in the workbook:

Correct the verb with be going to

Be careful! You .................. (hurt) yourself with that hammar.

In Close-up b1 2nd edition, the book gave this example of using might/could for predictions we believe but don �t have any evidence for:

Be careful! You might/could break the window.

If going to was used in the first sentence with "Be careful" for predictions that we have an evidence for, how can might/could be used in the 2nd sentence with "Be careful" to show a prediction we don �t have any evidence for?

23 Nov 2016

yanogator

Actually, all the choices are correct and common.

Be careful: You �re going to hurt yourself.

Be careful! You might hurt yourself.

Be careful! You could hurt yourself.

I would say "might" and "could" are warnings rather than predictions.

Bruce

23 Nov 2016

redcamarocruiser

I agree. they are warnings.

23 Nov 2016

Ruwayda37

Thank you very much for your clarification

24 Nov 2016