CAN / COULD
CAN / COULD
CAN:
CAN:
- We use the modal can to make general statements about what is possible:
It can be very cold in winter. (= It is sometimes very cold in winter)
You can easily lose your way in the dark. (= People often lose their way in the dark)
You can easily lose your way in the dark. (= People often lose their way in the dark)
- We use the negative can’t or cannot to show that something is impossible:
That can’t be true.
You cannot be serious
You cannot be serious
- We use can to talk about someone’s skill or general abilities:
She can speak several languages.
He can swim like a fish.
They can’t dance very well.
He can swim like a fish.
They can’t dance very well.
- We use can to talk about the ability to do something at a given time in the present or future:
You can make a lot of money if you are lucky.
Help. I can’t breathe.
They can run but they can’t hide.
Help. I can’t breathe.
They can run but they can’t hide.
- We use can to ask for permission to do something:
Can I ask a question, please?
Can we go home now?We use can to give permission:
Can we go home now?We use can to give permission:
You can go home now if you like.
You can borrow my pen if you like
You can borrow my pen if you like
*We use can to say that someone has permission to do something:
We can go out whenever we want.
Students can travel free
Students can travel free
- We use can I … to make offers:
Can I help you?
COULD:
- We use could as the past tense of can:
It could be very cold in winter. (=Sometimes it was very cold in winter.)
You could lose your way in the dark. (=People often lost their way in the dark)
You could lose your way in the dark. (=People often lost their way in the dark)
- We use could to show that something is possible in the future, but not certain:
If we don’t hurry we could be late. (=Perhaps/Maybe we will be late)
- We use could have to show that something is/was possible now or at some time in the past:
It’s ten o’clock. They could have arrived now.
They could have arrived hours ago.
They could have arrived hours ago.
- We use couldn’t/could not to talk about the past:
We knew it could not be true.
He was obviously joking. He could not be serious.
He was obviously joking. He could not be serious.
- We use could to talk about past time:
She could speak several languages.
They couldn’t dance very well.
They couldn’t dance very well.
- Could is more formal and polite than can:
Could I ask a question please?
Could we go home now?
Could we go home now?
- We use could you and as a polite way of telling or asking someone to do something:
Could you take a message please?
Could I have my bill please?
Could I have my bill please?
EXERCISES
1. ........................... I ask you something?
2. She said I ............................ come as often as I liked.
3. Jack ................................. not go to work yesterday because he was ill.
4. He ............................. borrow my car, if she asked.
5. I .................................... her, if I had wanted to.
6. .......................... you lend me some pounds until tomorrow?
7. When I was a child, I ............................ play whenever I wanted to.
8. 'Where is John?' He .......................... be in the garden.
9. It was a place where anything .......................... happen.
10. I ............................ not understand anything she said.
11. You ............................ get a better job if you speak English.
12. War ............................ break out any day.
GOOD LUCK!<3
Good job¡ But too late your Mark is : ????
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