"i thought it could be costly." vs "i thought it can be costly."

Question

"i thought it could be costly." vs "i thought it can be costly."

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'I thought it could be costly.' is more commonly used and implies a past uncertainty about the cost. 'I thought it can be costly.' is also correct but less common, and it implies a present or future uncertainty about the cost.

Last Updated: March 20, 2024

This phrase is used to convey a past thought or belief about the potential cost of something, with a sense of uncertainty.

Examples:

I thought it could be costly, so I decided not to buy it.
She thought it could be costly, but it turned out to be quite affordable.

Alternatives:

I thought it might be costly.
I thought it would be costly.
I thought it was going to be costly.
I thought it was likely to be costly.
I thought it was possible that it could be costly.

This phrase is used to express a current or future thought or belief about the potential cost of something, with a sense of uncertainty.

Examples:

I thought it can be costly, so I'm being careful with my spending.
She thought it can be costly, but she's still considering buying it.

Alternatives:

I think it can be costly.
I believe it can be costly.
I assume it can be costly.
I suspect it can be costly.
I imagine it can be costly.

Answer 1

i thought it could be costly.

This phrase is correct and commonly used to express past uncertainty about the cost.

Answer 2

i thought it can be costly.

This phrase is correct but less common. It implies a present or future uncertainty about the cost.

"i thought it could be costly." vs "i thought it can be costly."

i thought it could be costly.

i thought it can be costly.

Related Comparisons