Able to cope with vs Could cope with

Both "able to cope with" and "could cope with" are correct and commonly used phrases in English. They convey a similar meaning but differ slightly in terms of certainty. "Able to cope with" implies a general ability to handle a situation, while "could cope with" suggests a hypothetical or conditional ability.

Last updated: March 24, 2024 • 808 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"Able to cope with"

This phrase is used to indicate someone's capability to deal with a situation or problem.

Show examples from the web [+]

It should now be able to cope with enlargement.
Neither Romania and Bulgaria, though, nor indeed the European Union, will be able to cope with an over-hasty enlargement.
This has left us better able to cope with external shocks.
The European Union Solidarity Fund and national funds are no longer able to cope with frequent disasters.
In particular, SMUs are often not able to cope with this hurdle.
It should be a robust and flexible tool, able to cope with rapidly changing requirements.
I believe that the structures and relationships, as they currently stand, may not be able to cope with that tension.
In my opinion, we must realise that in the past people were able to cope with the changes in the natural environment.
However, what we take so much for granted is, for many people, becoming a serious challenge that they are barely able to cope with.
The candidate countries will also be expected to be able to cope with the system as soon as they join.
The young Ukrainian democracy would be able to cope with such trials, but it cannot cope if those seeking to destroy it receive support from outside, namely from Russia.
The Council has cleverly exploited a situation in which the federalists in the Commission and Parliament will not be able to cope with a new EU-wide crisis.
The 2002 Report finds that Bulgaria now has a functioning market economy, able to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union in the medium term as long as it continues to implement its reform programme.
The European Parliament believes that Member States which do not belong to the euro zone should be encouraged to look at obtaining, within the Community, possible medium-term financial support to be able to cope with their balance deficit before requesting aid at an international level.
The system was not able to cope with this additional workload.
A friendship must be able to cope with criticism and plain speaking.
I hope that the Spanish Presidency will be able to cope with this.
These rules imply additional costs that the poorest beneficiaries will not be able to cope with.
Education and training is in big demand to make companies, public sector services and the workforce able to cope with changes.
This stock has a strategic nature and is maintained to be able to cope with unpredictable future requests in crisis situations.

Alternatives:

capable of dealing with
competent to handle
adept at managing

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"Could cope with"

This phrase is used to express a hypothetical or conditional ability to handle a situation or problem.

Show examples from the web [+]

Mr. Danes, the thing is I could cope with this if it meant shoving my face in the dirt.
Anne's illness was more than I could cope with.
There's no way this team could cope with the increased workload of linked inquiries.
There's no way this team could cope with the increased workload of linked inquiries.
I don't think I could cope with that, Anne.
And then it struck me that after going through the same routine so many times, it was the only way that they could cope with the uncertainty.
How did you seriously think I could cope with this kind of responsibility?
I know, I know, dear, but frankly the situation was more than I could cope with alone.
There is thus a real danger that the Council text could act as an EU-wide mandatory concentration rule, since no firm could cope with the risks and regulatory costs of this interpretation of Article 27.
You think you could cope with killing, Jim?
How did you seriously think I could cope with this kind of responsibility?
What bodies, procedures, instruments or actions might be established with a view to adopting new measures that could cope with the current crisis and strengthen the European integration method?
You think you could cope with killing, Jim?
This legislation provides for a transitional period, but that goes without saying - it is inherent in the system - and, in any case, this transitional period is shorter than the industry had said it could cope with.
This would prevent any significant deterioration in the rating and thus in the refinancing terms, with the result that the bank could cope with the hiving-off operation in operational terms too.
I don't think I could cope with being told what to do.

Alternatives:

might be able to handle
would manage
potentially deal with

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Able to cope with vs Could cope with

"Able to cope with"

"Could cope with"

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