Uses of Could

Using 'could' for past ability, possibility, polite requests, and suggestions

intermediate

When to Use

•Past ability: I could swim when I was five.
•Present possibility: It could rain later.
•Polite requests: Could you help me, please?
•Suggestions: You could try the new restaurant.
•Hypothetical ability: If I had time, I could help you.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Subject + could + base verb

Negative (-)

Subject + could not (couldn't) + base verb

Question (?)

Could + subject + base verb?

💡 Could is the past of 'can' but also has present/future meanings for possibility and politeness.

Examples

✓She could speak three languages by age ten.

✗She could spoke three languages by age ten.

Could is always followed by the base form of the verb.

✓Could I borrow your pen?

✗Could I to borrow your pen?

No 'to' after could.

✓The package could arrive tomorrow.

✗The package could arrives tomorrow.

Base verb after could, no -s ending.

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Past general ability: could = was able to
• Past single achievement: use 'was able to' or 'managed to', not 'could'
• Negative past: couldn't works for both general and single actions
• Politeness scale: Could you...? is more polite than Can you...?
• Possibility: could = might (less certain than 'will')

modal-ability modal-permission modal-probability second-conditional 📝 modals-intermediate 📝 could-uses-quiz

Uses of Could

Using 'could' for past ability, possibility, polite requests, and suggestions

intermediate

When to Use

•Past ability: I could swim when I was five.
•Present possibility: It could rain later.
•Polite requests: Could you help me, please?
•Suggestions: You could try the new restaurant.
•Hypothetical ability: If I had time, I could help you.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Subject + could + base verb

Negative (-)

Subject + could not (couldn't) + base verb

Question (?)

Could + subject + base verb?

💡 Could is the past of 'can' but also has present/future meanings for possibility and politeness.

Examples

✓She could speak three languages by age ten.

✗She could spoke three languages by age ten.

Could is always followed by the base form of the verb.

✓Could I borrow your pen?

✗Could I to borrow your pen?

No 'to' after could.

✓The package could arrive tomorrow.

✗The package could arrives tomorrow.

Base verb after could, no -s ending.

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Past general ability: could = was able to
• Past single achievement: use 'was able to' or 'managed to', not 'could'
• Negative past: couldn't works for both general and single actions
• Politeness scale: Could you...? is more polite than Can you...?
• Possibility: could = might (less certain than 'will')

modal-ability modal-permission modal-probability second-conditional 📝 modals-intermediate 📝 could-uses-quiz

Uses of Could

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

Uses of Could

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗I could to swim when I was young.

✗Yesterday I could met him at the station.

✗I could do it yesterday. (for single completed action)

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗I could to swim when I was young.

✗Yesterday I could met him at the station.

✗I could do it yesterday. (for single completed action)

💡 Practice Tips

Related