When do native speakers favour Vことができる rather than the potential form?


I have heard from some native speakers that for some verbs, it is more common
to use the phrase Vことが出来る rather than the potential form in everyday speech.
This arose after a discussion on verbs of the form *っする (for example:
接する、決する...) when I was told that the potential form (接せられる、決せられる...) is rarely
used in everyday speech compared to say 決することが出来る.

Some sources such as <https://cotohajime.net/2021/12/03/potential-verbs-vs-
kotogadekiru/> claim that Vことが出来る is more formal, which goes against the above
claim that it may favoured in informal speech for certain verbs.

If I could hazard a guess, I would say that speakers may favour Vことが出来る when
using a verb they are not very familiar with as it is cognitively easier than
conjugating the verb to the potential form.




Personally I don't feel I do that when using a verb I'm not familiar. In some
situations ことが出来る can be used as a light "euphemism". For example:

> 引き止めることができなくて、遭難させてしまった  
>  引き止められなくて、遭難させてしまった

Both mean the same thing, but the former form adds an added degree of remorse.
It also signals that the speaker tried hard. I guess it adds a sort of
emphasis as it's more elaborate than the shorter form.




Personally I don't feel I do that when using a verb I'm not familiar. In some
situations ことが出来る can be used as a light "euphemism". For example:

> 引き止めることができなくて、遭難させてしまった  
>  引き止められなくて、遭難させてしまった

Both mean the same thing, but the former form adds an added degree of remorse.
It also signals that the speaker tried hard. I guess it adds a sort of
emphasis as it's more elaborate than the shorter form.

