englishpage.com Home > Modal Verb Tutorial > Could Could f t g+ p "Could" is used to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests. "Could" is also commonly used in conditional sentences as the conditional form of "can." Examples: Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city. possibility Nancy could ski like a pro by the age of 11. past ability You could see a movie or go out to dinner. suggestion Could I use your computer to email my boss? request We could go on the trip if I didn't have to work this weekend. conditional Using "Could" in Present, Past, and Future Most modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. Study the chart below to learn how "could" behaves in different contexts Modal Use could possibility Positive Forms Negative Forms Also 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = use: Future Future 1. John could be the one who 1. Mary couldn't be the one who might, stole the money stole the money may 2. John could have been the one 2. Mary couldn't have been the who stole the money one who stole the money 3. John could go to jail for 3. Mary couldn't possibly go to stealing the money. jail for the crime 1. If I had more time, I could 1. Even if I had more time, I travel around the world couldn't travel around the world http://www.englishpage.com/modals/could.html 1/3 could conditional of can 2. If I had had more time, I could 2. Even if I had had more time, I have traveled around the world couldn't have traveled around 3. If I had more time this winter, I could travel around the world the world 3. Even if I had more time this winter, I couldn't travel around the world 1. NO PRESENT FORM NO NEGATIVE FORMS 2. You could have spent your could vacation in Hawaii suggestion 3. You could spend your vacation in Hawaii. I could run ten miles in my I couldn't run more than a mile in be twenties my twenties able I could speak Chinese when I I couldn't speak Swahili was a kid "Could" can be used in negative could "Could" cannot be used in sentences in which you describe past ability positive sentences in which you a momentary or onetime ability describe a momentary or one time ability to Yesterday, I couldn't lift the couch by myself. Correct Yesterday, I could lift the couch by myself. Not Correct could polite request Could I have something to drink? Couldn't he come with us? Could I borrow your stapler? Couldn't you help me with this Requests usually refer to the near future for just a second? can, may, might Requests usually refer to the near future REMEMBER: "Could not" vs. "Might not" "Could not" suggests that it is impossible for something to happen. "Might not" suggests you do not know if something happens http://www.englishpage.com/modals/could.html 2/3 Examples: Jack might not have the key. Maybe he does not have the key Jack could not have the key. It is impossible that he has the key EXERCISES AND RELATED TOPICS Modal Exercise 1 can, could, have to, must, might and should Modal Exercise 3 might, must, should, could, have to and ought to Modal Exercise 4 couldn't and might not Modal Exercise 6 could, might, should and would Modal Exercise 7 modal verb forms Modal Verb Final Test complete review Copyright © 2016 Englishpage.com, All Rights Reserved Contact us | Privacy Policy | Advertise with us Your personal online English school. Learn English at Englishpage.com! Weekly Lesson Grammar Book Vocabulary Verb Tenses Conditionals Modals Gerunds / Infinitives Articles Prepositions Minitutorials Irregular Verbs Reading Room Listening Lounge Games English Forums English Schools English · Foreign Dictionaries English ·English Dictionaries Irregular Verb Dictionary Phrasal Verb Dictionary Verb + Preposition Dictionary http://www.englishpage.com/modals/could.html 3/3