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● How can I raise the possibilty here(after "I mean")?

I decided to choose an interesting subject, I mean a topic that you are really interesed in.

● What’s the correct procedure in cases like this? ● What's the rational choice? ● What is the difference between the second and third sentences?

  1. "... I mean a topic that you might/may really interested in?

  2. "... I mean a topic that you would probably interested in.

  3. "... I mean a topic that you are probably interested in.

  4. Or what else can I say...?

● I would like to know whether the repeated usage of the expressions "interesting" and "interested in" sounds a little weird and awkward or not.

● Does the simultaneous usage of the two above-mentioned expressions with the root "interest" show the speaker's lexical weakness?

● Is there anything you’d like to add or change?

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    I don't quite understand the specific subtle nuance you're looking for here. Is the I mean a topic that... part intended to "whimsically" clarify that you chose that topic because you think it will be interesting to the person you're speaking to? (As opposed to being interesting to you the speaker.) You could consider alternatives such as I chose a topic which I hope you'll find interesting (deferential / polite, "hedged"). If by "raise the possibility" you mean "assert more confidently", that can easily be changed to ...which I'm sure will interest you or similar. Commented Aug 8, 2018 at 17:17
  • @FumbleFingers +1 for " I hope..." & about your first question, the answer is "Yes!" but actually by "raise the possibilty" I mean, all in all, it just might be true!" (and I'm not compeletly sure about it)
    – a.RR
    Commented Aug 8, 2018 at 18:33
  • Well, you clearly understand the more "emphatically tentative" associations of just might (as opposed to plain might). And the fact that you've used it in your comment suggests to me that perhaps you should consider something like I chose a topic you just might find interesting. But I would point out that unless other aspects of the context ruled it out, I would normally assume the unspoken implication You don't have much of a thirst for knowledge; it's not easy to find things of value (to me) that interest you. Especially with that I mean... clause. Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 12:10

1 Answer 1

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the modals might/may/would all require a verb, and in these cases it should be the verb "be".

you might be really interested in
you would probably be interested in.

The second and third sentences are different by the use of the conditional modal "would". The effect of this is to make the second sentence more tentative (with the implied condition "if I am right..."). However, this is just nuance, and doesn't affect the general meaning.

There is nothing surprising about the use of interesting and interested in this sentence. As spoken English, this looks entirely normal. Perhaps if you were writing, you would want to use more varied language. In written English you could remove the first part completely.

I decided to choose a topic that you would probably be interested in.

I'm not sure about a "rational choice". The sentences are all correct, so pick the one that feels best.

As an alternative, you could use "a topic that might interest you", using an active verb. You could also use a verb like "thought"

I mean a topic that I thought would interest you.

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