further increased VS once more increased

[PeachYoghurt]

Hi all! Do the following 2 sentences have the same meaning? Which one sounds better?

a) This issue would have further increased the distance between the separated couples.
b) This issue would have once more increased the distance between the separated couples.

 

[Barque]

They could mean different things or the same thing, so we can't say which is better without knowing what you want to say.

The first essentially means that there was a distance between them which was increased by this issue.

(If there was already a distance between them which was "increased" for the first time, "further" is redundant. If there had been events which had pushed them further apart earlier, "further" is fine and it makes the meaning the same as the second sentence's.)

The second means that the distance between them had been increased in the past and was increased again by this issue.

 

[grassy]

a) This issue would have further increased the distance between the separated couples.
b) This issue would have once more increased the distance between the separated couples.

The way I see it is that the first one puts more emphasis on the continuous process of increasing, and the second one on the increase moving through stages.

The first essentially means that there was a distance between them which was increased by this issue.

The second means that the distance between them had been increased in the past and was increased again by this issue.

Actually, the issue didn't increase the distance between them. It would have if something different had happened.

 

[Franco-filly]

Actually, the issue didn't increase the distance between them. It would have if something different had happened.

I'm not sure what you mean here Grassy. I see the "distance" as being "an emotional separation" and, although we are not told what the actual "issue" is, it is the cause of a greater detachment between the separated couples.