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 . PAST ABILITY !ou could see a movie or go out to dinner. SUGGESTION Could " use your computer to email my boss# REQUEST $e could go on the trip if " didn%t have to work this weekend. CONDITIONAL Using "Could" in Present, Past, and Future &ost modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. &odal 'se (ositive )orms . * (resent +. * (ast ,. * )uture Negative )orms . * (resent +. * (ast ,. * )uture !ou can also use: might/ may

could
POSSIBILITY

. -ohn could be the one who stole the money. +. -ohn could have been the one who stole the money. ,. -ohn could go to .ail for stealing the money. . "f " had more time/ " could travel around the world. +. "f " had had more time/ " could have traveled around the world. ,. "f " had more time this winter/ " could travel around the world.

. &ary couldn%t be the one who stole the money. +. &ary couldn%t have been the one who stole the money. ,. &ary couldn%t possibly go to .ail for the crime. . Even if " had more time/ " couldn%t travel around the world. +. Even if " had had more time/ " couldn%t have traveled around the world. ,. Even if " had more time this winter/ " couldn%t travel around the world. N0 NE563"7E )01&2

could
CONDITIONAL OF CAN

could
SUGGESTION

. N0 (1E2EN3 )01& +. !ou could have spent your vacation in 4awaii. ,. !ou could spend your vacation in 4awaii. " could run ten miles in my twenties. " could speak Chinese when " was a kid. "COULD" CANNOT BE USED IN POSITIVE
SENTENCES IN WHICH YOU DESCRIBE A MOMENTARY OR ONE-TIME ABILITY.

could
PAST ABILITY

" couldn%t run more than a mile in my twenties. " couldn%t speak 2wahili. "COULD" CAN BE USED IN NEGATIVE
SENTENCES IN WHICH YOU DESCRIBE A MOMENTARY OR ONE-TIME ABILITY.

be able to

!esterday/ " could lift the couch by myself. Not Correct

!esterday/ " couldn%t lift the couch by myself. Correct Couldn%t he come with us# Couldn%t you help me with this for .ust a second# REQUESTS USUALLY REFER TO THE NEAR FUTURE. can/ may/ might

could
POLITE REQUEST

Could " have something to drink# Could " borrow your stapler# REQUESTS USUALLY REFER TO THE FUTURE.

NEAR

REMEMBER: "Could not" vs. "Might not" - "Could not" suggests that it is impossible for something to happen. "&ight not" suggests you do not know if something happens. Examples: -ack might not have the key. MAYBE HE DOES NOT HAVE THE KEY. -ack could not have the key. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT HE HAS THE KEY.