Ella had hoped that her husband would grow into a family-oriented man.
or
Ella had hoped that her husband could grow into a family-oriented man.
Which one is correct?
Both are correct, English sentences. However, the best option depends on the meaning you are trying to convey (what specifically Ella hoped for).
Could: the past tense of can, a verb used to denote ability. In this sense, could refers to some ability that someone had in the past.
Would: the past tense of will, which denotes both ability and certainty.
The above is from https://writingexplained.org/could-vs-would-difference.
- Ella had hoped that her husband would grow into a family-oriented man.
Explanation: Ella wanted her husband to actually grow into a family-oriented man. She didn't just want him to have the ability to do so. She wants him to exercise that ability and actually become a family-oriented man.
- Ella had hoped that her husband could grow into a family-oriented man.
Explanation: Ella hoped that her husband had the ability to grow into a family-oriented man. This sentence does not specify whether or not she wanted him to actually become that family-oriented man; his ability to do so is all she explicitly hopes for.
