verbul modal could
TRANSCRIPT
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 .