When used this way, could is used to express conditional or hypothetical ability or possibility even when talking about the present or the future. This could be our only chance to get out of here. Advertisement (used in making polite requests): Could you open the door for me, please? In other instances, could is a modal verb used to denote possibility. I could run faster then. 2. a used to say that something is possible. Use COULD and COULDNT for ability in the past Could and couldnt are the past forms of can and cant: When I was younger, I could run a mile in 7 minutes. Usage see: can. 2. An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with. Could is a verb with many senses. Past perfect simple or past perfect continuous? see can (could) do with; see with half an eye, could. How could you leave me? We use could have + -ed form to talk about things that did not happen and sometimes to expresses regret: We often use the expression how could you/she/he/they? Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Random House, Inc. 2023, Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition If so, show off how capable you are by taking our quiz on can vs. could. Last year, he couldnt speak English very well, but now he can. (permission), I could speak French fluently when I was younger. If you think about would being the past tense of will, then it completely makes sense. Copyright 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. In this sense, could refers to some ability that someone had in the past. They might just have you screaming in joy! Could: form Affirmative (+) form Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We could have lunch early. Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We often use could to express possibility in the present and the future. English is full of verbs that seem interchangeable or at least only trivially different, but skilled writers know when and how to use them for maximum clarity. This medicine could help your cold. and I could be wrong. Want To Build A Successful Writing Routine? You could at least have called me. You could [= might, may] be making the biggest mistake of your life! Privacy Policy. (used to express conditional possibility or ability): You could do it if you tried. (used in making polite requests): Could you open the door for me, please? Usage see: can. It is used to express that someone is able to do something in the past. Could you add some windshield wiper fluid? Grammatically, though, either one is completely acceptable. Last year, he couldnt speak English very well, but now he can. They could be at home. Follow these quick and easy guidelines to never get confused again. Can vs. Could: Whats The Difference? You use can to say that something is sometimes possible. Would is also a modal verb used to denote possibility, and it often refers to something that is conditional but definite within those conditions. We knew they were in there. Could: form Affirmative (+) form Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We could have lunch early. This shows grade level based on the word's complexity. I could swim well at that age a esa edad nadaba muy bien ; I could hear them talking los oa hablar ; I could have tried harder poda haberme esforzado ms ; he couldn't have been kinder fue de lo ms amable ; how COULD you! For a related comparison, check out our guide to, The coin can land on heads or tails. could modal verb (SHOULD) used for saying, especially angrily, what you think someone else should do: Well, you could try to look a little more enthusiastic! Could is also the past tense of can. I waited ages for you - you could have said that you weren't coming! It is used to express that someone is able to do something in the past. I could have hit him! Its a fact. Heres an example of could to talk about future possibilities: Do you have any ideas for our publicity campaign?, Yes, Ive got a few ideas. If you want to say that someone had the ability to do something but did not in fact do it, you say that they could have done it. COULD Synonyms: 47 Synonyms & Antonyms for COULD | Thesaurus.com Find Out! Im not certain that the storm will get worse. ( Ability in the Past) Examples: I could speak four languages when I was younger. could modal verb (SHOULD) used for saying, especially angrily, what you think someone else should do: Well, you could try to look a little more enthusiastic! (= It is sometimes very cold here in winter.) If you ever have trouble deciding on would or could, remember where they come from. Could cannot be used with another modal verb: We Verb Expressing a present possibility Verb Used to express a request where voluntary compliance is expected Find more words! could / ( kd) / verb (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive) used as an auxiliary to make the past tense of can 1 used as an auxiliary, esp in polite requests or in conditional Dont use to after should, could, and would: You shouldnt to smoke. Now, take a look at the difference between "would" and "could" in polite expressions. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect. Conflicting, positive or strongly held? Im not going to punish you, even though I could [punish you]. Here are some examples of using would you like? He could play football well when he was a kid. Named after Sir Robert Peel, what are British police called. In this article, well explain the differences between can and could, cover when and how both words should be used, and provide examples that show how theyre typically used in sentences. (possibility), Can I have some water, please? (= Maybe they are at home.) Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead. Would is also a verb with many senses. Possibility and impossibility. me dieron ganas de pegarle! Sentences with the word could Could cannot be used with another modal verb: We Hear a word and type it out. 4. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'could.' Get grammar tips, writing tricks, and more from Thesaurus.com right in your inbox! While could shows ability or possibility, would shows certainty in a past or hypothetical situation. Anthony said you-could hear Emmy's tongue striking the roof of her-mouth all thee time. I could taste nothing but salt. He was all innuendo and strange hints and whispered secrets, and I-could-if-I-woulds. Helen, _________ you come over here for a minute? Note: These are only a handful of many aborted could-be classics. Apparently time had caught up with Mom before she could finish. In this sense, could refers to some ability that someone had in the past. Would is the past tense of will. I waited ages for you - you Apparently time had caught up with Mom before she could finish. 1. Seeing a few more examples in action can really drive this point home. Could in the present only expresses weak possibility. In my prime, I could bench press 250 pounds. ): The food was terrible. As you can see, could is making a simple claim of ability. Instead, follow these simple rules that are illustrated with example sentences. Could I have a map of the subway, please? I could have hit him! The evidence is not conclusive, but he could (very well) be right. 4. If you say that someone was able to do something, you usually mean that they had the ability to do it and they did it. We dont use do/does/did: We use could and couldnt in question tags: We often use could to express possibility in the present and the future. In my prime, I could bench press 250 pounds. 8. The verb can is an auxiliary (helping) verb that is often used alongside other verbs to express ability, possibility, or permission (in the case of permission, could is often considered more polite than can, but they are grammatically interchangeable in this context). Would: Past tense of will; expresses something happening in the past or in an imaginary or hypothetical situation Could: Past tense of can; shows the potential or ability of something happening While they're clearly different, their usage in a sentence isn't always as clear. Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead. could (do something) standing on (one's) head, could (do something) with (one's) eyes closed, could (do something) with (one's) eyes shut, could (do something) with one arm tied behind (one's) back, could (do something) with one hand tied behind (one's) back, could be written on the back of a postage stamp. Add could to one of your lists below, or create a new one. Thesaurus / could FEEDBACK could See definition of could on Dictionary.com verb preserve fruit, vegetable verb be able verb fire from job synonyms for could Compare Synonyms keep bottle put up antonyms for could MOST RELEVANT cannot employ hire I need to talk to you. Im not certain that the storm will get worse. I am certain that it is blue. Would is the past tense of will, which denotes both ability and certainty. I waited ages for you - you His recovery could take months. SMART Vocabulary: palavras e frases relacionadas Gramtica Can, could or may: typical errors Conversely, would is making a definite claim. We dont use do/does/did: We use could and couldnt in question tags: We often use could to express possibility in the present and the future. The evidence is not conclusive, but he could (very well) be right. Cheetahs can run faster than lions can [run]. Find out which word to choose and when. We use can to make general statements about what is possible: It can be very cold here in winter. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English, I could buy a wonderful bag to match my shoes, We hired a car and we could drive 1,000 miles in one week, Adjectives and adjective phrases: typical errors, Adverbs and adverb phrases: typical errors, Nationalities, languages, countries and regions. I hate to ask you for another favor, but I wonder if I could pay you to drive me home. could modal verb (SHOULD) used for saying, especially angrily, what you think someone else should do: Well, you could try to look a little more enthusiastic! Related Words and Phrases See Also What is the opposite of could? You could [= might, may] be making the biggest mistake of your life! Cannot and could not are used to say that someone is or was forbidden to do something. Be able to is sometimes used after modals such as might or should, and after verbs such as want, hope, or expect. , and as an alternative to can suggesting less force or certainty or as a polite form in the present In this article, I will compare could vs. would, and I will use both words in several example sentences. Instead you use might not have or may not have. A few weeks wouldn't mean the difference in paying for college, and she could use the time to relax. Could you act as an interpreter for us, please? We use could have + -ed form to talk about possibility in the past: They could have taken a taxi home instead of walking and getting wet. 2. (I was so angry) you could have warned me! 3. (You didnt call I think you should have called.). Could and would are related, but they mean different things. We use can: We dont usually use could to talk about single events that happened in the past. 2. How to use a word that (literally) drives some pe Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference. Find out which word to choose and when. Both would and could are modal auxiliary verbs, which are better known as a form of helping verbs. In these examples, the speaker is using would to express a past action, which is helpful when comparing would vs. could. COULD Synonyms: 47 Synonyms & Antonyms for COULD | Thesaurus.com Find Out! Hear a word and type it out. If you want to say that someone did not do something because they did not have the ability to do it, you say that they could not have done it. Might and may can be used in a similar way. This could be our only chance to get out of here. and mental processes (think, believe, remember, understand etc. 2. a used to say that something is possible. Just read our guide on these commonly confused words. When each letter can be seen but not heard. A soda would be great. I wish I could've been there to see him open his presents. Here's How. 5. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English, I could buy a wonderful bag to match my shoes, We hired a car and we could drive 1,000 miles in one week, Adjectives and adjective phrases: typical errors, Adverbs and adverb phrases: typical errors, Nationalities, languages, countries and regions. I could taste nothing but salt. Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012. 5. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Only men could go to the club in those days. We could also give out pamphlets in our neighborhood. I could swim well at that age a esa edad nadaba muy bien ; I could hear them talking los oa hablar ; I could have tried harder poda haberme esforzado ms ; he couldn't have been kinder fue de lo ms amable ; how COULD you! That couldn't be true. , and as an alternative to can suggesting less force or certainty or as a polite form in the present Glamor or Glamour Whats the Difference? Hmm I think you should call her and tell her youre sorry.. Not: We hired a car and we could drive 1,000 miles in one week. Im certain that the storm will get worse. could modal verb (SHOULD) used for saying, especially angrily, what you think someone else should do: Well, you could try to look a little more enthusiastic! Can and could are used with verbs such as see, hear, and smell to say that someone is or was aware of something through one of their senses. Its a fact. We use can to make general statements about what is possible: It can be very cold here in winter. Could you come over here? We use could have + -ed form to talk about things that did not happen and sometimes to expresses regret: We often use the expression how could you/she/he/they? I would buy a new car if I had the money. Case in Point or Case and Point Whats the Difference? Could is the past tense of can, a verb used to denote ability. Senior defensive linemen Mike Morris and Mazi Smith are both also entering the NFL draft, which makes a minimum of four starters in coordinator Jesse Minter's defense who, The finding demonstrates how the observatory, In March 2021, the supreme court ruled the incriminating statements made by Julie Jensen that were revealed after her death, Neither Bain nor Deleveaux expressed particular concern about the knock-on effects FTX, The planet, called TOI 700 e, is orbiting around a star and, Now, a study published January 10 in the journal Hypertension offers even more evidence of the positive health outcomes that sodium reduction, and as a polite or less forceful alternative to, Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. (= Maybe they will come by car.) (used to express conditional possibility or ability): You could do it if you tried. Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead. This wont always get you to the right answer, but it should work most of the time. And Glora and Alanin our present size-could doubtless disembark safely. Could is a verb with many senses. To reach the castle, we could either use the mountain path or the forest trail. A mega-luxury deal that would merge Neiman Marcus with the company that owns Saks Fifth Avenue is in the works, sources told The Post. When I was young, I could easily touch my toes. If only she could summon him from the moonlight out there; if only she were a witch-could see him, know where he was, what doing! For more on condition sentences, see here. Be able to is more formal than can. of can 1. auxiliary verb. Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): Could cannot be used with another modal verb: Not: We could might drive to France. Could Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster could auxiliary verb kd, kud past tense of can used in auxiliary function in the past We found we could go. I simply had the ability to do so. Now it takes me 20 minutes! Sentences with the word could It can be easy to mix up can with could. Need synonyms for could? But, when we use would, there is no question where the vacation will be. Future: other expressions to talk about the future, Future: present continuous to talk about the future (, Future: present simple to talk about the future (, Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -, Modality: other modal words and expressions, Conjunctions: causes, reasons, results and purpose, Relative clauses referring to a whole sentence, Relative clauses: defining and non-defining, Forming negative statements, questions and imperatives. Now it takes me 20 minutes! Is this year's Sundance sales frenzy a direct result of last year's little-movie-that-could? Verb choice is a crucial part of careful writing, so read on to find out the differences between these two confusing verbs. Advertisement We could hear voices inside. Ive got to be in the meeting at 10 and the train doesnt get in until 10.15. When we want to guess or predict something, we use couldnt as the negative form of must. When actual past achievements are mentioned, we usually use was/were able to or managed to but not could in affirmative clauses. This could be our only chance to get out of here. We hired a car and we were able to/managed to drive 1,000 miles in one week. Can you use these words interchangeably or not? (used in asking for permission): Could I borrow your pen? Could cannot be used with another modal verb: We (used to express conditional possibility or ability): (used in offering suggestions or advice): You could write and ask for more information. Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. (= It is sometimes very cold here in winter.) What should I do? (used to express possibility): That could never be true. 3. To form the negative of be able to, you either put not or another negative word in front of able, or you use the expression be unable to. We often use could have + -ed form to express disapproval or criticism: You could have called to say you would be late. I __________ call you last night because I left my cell phone at home. We use could, may and might to express degrees of possibility. We could order pizza tonight. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English. ( Ability in the Past) Examples: I could speak four languages when I was younger. We use could to ask for permission. Conflicting, positive or strongly held? We knew they were in there. What is the Difference Between Could and Would? 0 && stateHdr.searchDesk ? That ugly fellow who swore at me the day before was in the boat, and I c-could understand him. This medicine could help your cold. (= Maybe they are at home.) or We might could drive to France. If you are looking to make a statement of ability, think to yourself, I can do that., If you are looking to make a statement of certainty or intent, think to yourself, I will do that.. Use COULD and COULDNT for ability in the past Could and couldnt are the past forms of can and cant: When I was younger, I could run a mile in 7 minutes. You dont want to leave any question that you are offering or inviting someone. If you want to say that someone had the ability to do something in the past, although they don't now have this ability, you say that they used to be able to do it. . In both of these examples, could is being used to express an ability that the speaker had in the past. When we want to guess or predict something, we use couldnt as the negative form of must. ): The food was terrible. Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one. Could we have another cup of tea, please? 1. Could: form Affirmative (+) form Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We could have lunch early. Could: form Affirmative (+) form Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We could have lunch early. We use could to refer to single events that happened in the past, with verbs of the senses (smell, taste, see, hear, touch, etc.) It will be somewhere tropical. How many times have you done that? 2. The difference between should, could, and would is difficult for many English learners this lesson will help you understand when to use each one! (permission). to show disapproval (to show that we dont like what someone has done): Grandfather, how could you? We use could when reporting clauses with can as past events: They told us we could wait in the hallway. Find out which word to choose and when. me dieron ganas de pegarle! In the case of possibility, the present perfect tense is typically used. 1. It was stuck. Both of these words start with the same letter as their root verb, which makes them easy to remember. Nglish: Translation of could for Spanish Speakers, Britannica English: Translation of could for Arabic Speakers. Couldnt and couldnt have + -ed form express strong possibility: She must have made a mistake. you could take the car tomorrow if it's raining. Verb Expressing a present possibility Verb Used to express a request where voluntary compliance is expected Find more words! , in the past conditional We said we would go if we could. So, you will use "could" for suggestions. 2. Learning the difference between "can" vs. "could" and when to use each one couldn't get any easier! Additionally, I will show you a memory tool that can help you choose would or could correctly every time. 2. The negative form of can is cannot or can't. Could is more formal and polite than can: We dont use could to give or refuse permission. von knnen, Konjunktiv von knnen, can , can could , , , , , usato come passato semplice di can per esprimere capacit o permesso al passato, usato come forma pi gentile di can per chiedere permesso di fare qualcosa, usato per esprimere ci che possibile o che potrebbe accadere, Test your vocabulary with our fun image quizzes, Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English. used as an auxiliary to make the past tense of, used as an auxiliary, esp in polite requests or in conditional sentences, to make the subjunctive mood of, used as an auxiliary to indicate suggestion of a course of action, you could take the car tomorrow if it's raining, used as an auxiliary to indicate a possibility, Doomed Passion Projects of Hollywood: The Lost Classics of Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and More, Everyday Sexism Creator Laura Bates on Helping Women Speak Out. Improve your vocabulary with English Vocabulary in Use from Cambridge.Learn the words you need to communicate with confidence. We use could to show that something is possible, but not certain: They could come by car. Using the word opinion. or We might could drive to France. Last year, he couldnt speak English very well, but now he can. That ugly fellow who swore at me the day before was in the boat, and I c-, He was all innuendo and strange hints and whispered secrets, and I-, She was awfully shocked,or pretended to be,and wrote me a very O-dear-how-, He might go and tell Willy all about it; he would ask him to interfere-, These are (Paul says) lima beans Munchausen, and here we have. Again? How many times have you done that? You have not finished your quiz. (used in asking for permission): Could I borrow your pen? Helping verbs have a great name, because they help the main verb in the sentence. (used to express conditional possibility or ability): You could do it if you tried. Using COULD COULD and/or COULDNT is used as the past tense of CAN and/or CANT. We use can: We dont usually use could to talk about single events that happened in the past. I cant play piano, but my brother can [play piano]. It is also used for some conditional present and future tenses of can.
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