<h2 class="western"><span><span>Could</span></span></h2>
<p><span><span>"Could" is used </span></span><span><span><em><strong>to express possibility or past ability</strong></em></span></span><span><span> as well as to make suggestions and requests. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>"Could" is also commonly used in</span></span><span><span> </span></span><span><span><a href="http://englishpage.com/conditional/conditionalintro.html" target="_blank"><span><span><span>conditional</span></span></span></a></span></span><span><span> </span></span><span><span>sentences as the conditional form of "can."</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Examples:</span></span></p>
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<p><span><span>Extreme rain</span></span><span><span> </span></span><strong><span><span>could</span></span></strong><span><span> </span></span><span><span>cause the river to flood the city.</span></span><span><span> </span></span><em><span><span>possibility</span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span>Nancy</span></span><span><span> </span></span><strong><span><span>could</span></span></strong><span><span> </span></span><span><span>ski like a pro by the age of 11.</span></span><span><span> </span></span><em><span><span>past ability</span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span>You</span></span><span><span> </span></span><strong><span><span>could</span></span></strong><span><span> </span></span><span><span>see a movie or go out to dinner.</span></span><span><span> </span></span><em><span><span>suggestion</span></span></em></p>
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<p><strong><span><span>Could</span></span></strong><span><span> </span></span><span><span>I use your computer to email my boss?</span></span><span><span> </span></span><em><span><span>request</span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span>We</span></span><span><span> </span></span><strong><span><span>could</span></span></strong><span><span> </span></span><span><span>go on the trip if I didn't have to work this weekend.</span></span><span><span> </span></span><em><span><span>conditional</span></span></em> </p>
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<p><span><span><span>Modal Use</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span><span>Positive Forms<br />1. = Present   </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>2. = Past   </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>3. = Future</span></span></p>
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<p><span><span>Negative Forms<br />1. = Present   </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>2. = Past   </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>3. = Future</span></span></p>
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<p><span><span>Also use:</span></span></p>
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<p><span><span><span>could</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span><em><span><span><span><strong>possibility</strong></span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>1. John could be the one who stole the money.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>2. John could have been the one who stole the money.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>3. John could go to jail for stealing the money. </span></span></span></p>
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<p><span><span><span>1. Mary couldn't be the one who stole the money.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>2. Mary couldn't have been the one who stole the money.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>3. Mary couldn't possibly go to jail for the crime.</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span><span><span>might,<br />may</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span><span><span>could</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span><em><span><span><span><strong>suggestion</strong></span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>1. NO PRESENT FORM</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>2. You could have spent your vacation in Hawaii.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>3. You could spend your vacation in Hawaii.</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p>
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<p><span> <span><span>NO NEGATIVE FORMS</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span><span><span>could</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span><em><span><span><span>suggestion</span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>could</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span><em><span><span><span><strong>past ability</strong></span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>I could run ten miles in my twenties.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>I could speak Chinese when I was a kid.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span><span><span>"Could" cannot be used in positive sentences in which you describe a momentary or one-time ability.</span></span></span></em></p>
<p><span><span><span>Yesterday, I could lift the couch by myself.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span><span><span><strong>Not Correct</strong></span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>I couldn't run more than a mile in my twenties.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>I couldn't speak Swahili.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span><span><span>"Could" can be used in negative sentences in which you describe a momentary or one-time ability.</span></span></span></em></p>
<p><span><span><span>Yesterday, I couldn't lift the couch by myself.</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span><span><span><strong>Correct</strong></span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>be able to</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span><span><span>could</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span><em><span><span><span><strong>polite request</strong></span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>Could I have something to drink?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>Could I borrow your stapler?</span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span><span><span>Requests usually refer to the near future.</span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>Couldn't he come with us?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>Couldn't you help me with this for just a second?</span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span><span><span>Requests usually refer to the near future.</span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>can,</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span><br />may,</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span><br />might</span></span></span></p>
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<p><strong><span><span><span>REMEMBER: "Could not" vs. "Might not"</span></span></span></strong><span><span><span><br />"Could not" suggests that it is impossible for something to happen. "Might not" suggests you do not know if something happens.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>Examples:</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span><span><span>Jack</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><strong><span><span><span>might not</span></span></span></strong><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span>have the key.</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><em><span><span><span>Maybe he does not have the key.</span></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span><span><span>Jack</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><strong><span><span><span>could not</span></span></span></strong><span><span><span> </span></span></span><span><span><span>have the key.</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span></span></span><em><span><span><span>It is impossible that he has the key.</span></span></span></em></p>
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