verbul modal could

8/13/2019 Verbul modal Could

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/verbul-modal-could 1/2

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:

could

 POSSIBILITY  

. -ohn could be the one who stole the

money.

+. -ohn could have been the one whostole the money.

,. -ohn could go to ail for stealing the

money.

. &ary couldn%t be the one who

stole the money.

+. &ary couldn%t have been the onewho stole the money.

,. &ary couldn%t possibly go to ail

for the crime.

might/

may

could

CONDITIONAL 

OF  CAN  

. 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.

. 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 thiswinter/ couldn%t travel around the

world.

could

SUGGESTION  

. N0 (1E2EN3 )01&

+. !ou could have spent your vacation

in 4awaii.

,. !ou could spend your vacation in

4awaii.

 N0 NE5637E )01&2

could PAST   ABILITY  

could run ten miles in my twenties. could speak Chinese when was a kid.

"C OULD" CANNOT   BE  USED  IN   POSITIVE  

SENTENCES    IN   WHICH   YOU    DESCRIBE    A  

 MOMENTARY  OR ONE -TIME   ABILITY .

!esterday/ could lift the couch by

myself. Not Correct  

couldn%t run more than a mile inmy twenties.

couldn%t speak 2wahili.

"C OULD" CAN   BE  USED  IN   NEGATIVE  

SENTENCES   IN  WHICH  YOU   DESCRIBE  

 A  MOMENTARY  OR ONE -TIME   ABILITY .

!esterday/ couldn%t lift the couch

 by myself. Correct  

 be ableto

could

 POLITE  

 REQUEST  

Could have something to drink#

Could borrow your stapler#

 R EQUESTS  USUALLY   REFER TO THE   NEAR  

 FUTURE .

Couldn%t he come with us#

Couldn%t you help me with this for

 ust a second# R EQUESTS   USUALLY   REFER  TO  THE  

 NEAR  FUTURE .

can/

may/

might

8/13/2019 Verbul modal Could

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/verbul-modal-could 2/2

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. M  AYBE   HE   DOES   NOT   HAVE  THE   KEY .

• -ack could not have the key. I T   IS   IMPOSSIBLE  THAT   HE   HAS  THE   KEY .