COULD The verb could is used to express: someone’s ability or skill in the past: Affirmative Interrogative (Question) I could swim when I was Couldn’t you something? five • • the possibility of perception in the past tense – with the verbs like: Affirmative Interrogative (Question) Negative hear I could hear someone shouting see I could see you were depressed imagine I could imagine how you felt I could smell gas smell I could understand her understand French • Negative She couldn’t find the keys Could you hear that strange sound? I couldn’t hear them because of the noise Could you see the church in the distance? I couldn’t see anything in the dark Could you imagine how surprised I was? I couldn’t imagine you working in the office Could you smell the flowers? I couldn’t smell anything because I had a cold Could you understand his accent? I couldn’t understand what was happening and also: with the verbs such as imagine, taste, recognise