Modal Verbs: could
Modal Verbs: could
Could with the Indefinite Infinitive:
Could can be used with the indefinite infinitive to express past actions.
When using could in this way, it usually indicates ability or possibility in the past.
Example:
He could play the piano when he was young.
The indefinite infinitive to play is used to indicate that the action is not specific or definite.
Could in indirect speech:
Here is another example that uses the same structure in indirect speech:
Direct speech: I could speak French when I was in high school.
Indirect speech: She said (that) she could speak French when she was in high school.
In this example, the verb speak follows the modal verb could and is in the base form because it is an indefinite infinitive.
The indirect speech is in the past tense because the original statement was made in the past.
The meaning of the sentence is that she had the ability to speak French in the past, when she was in high school.
Could in conditional sentences:
Could can also be used with the perfect infinitive and in the main sentence of conditional sentences to express a hypothetical or possible situation in the past or present.
Examples:
If I had studied harder, I could have passed the exam.
In this sentence could is used in the main sentence of a second conditional sentence to express a hypothetical situation in the past.
It expresses the possibility of passing the exam, which did not happen in reality because the speaker did not study hard enough.
If you come to the party, you could meet some new people.
In this sentence could is used in the main sentence of a first conditional sentence to express a hypothetical situation in the future.
It means that if the person comes to the party, there is a possibility that they will meet new people.
If I could go back in time, I would fix my mistakes.
In this sentence could is used in the if clause of a first conditional sentence to express a hypothetical situation in the present.
The speaker cannot actually go back in time, but if they could, they would fix their mistakes.
In all of these examples, could is used to express a hypothetical or possible situation.
When could is used with the perfect infinitive, it expresses the possibility of something that did not happen in reality, while in conditional sentences, it expresses a hypothetical or possible situation.
Could as the past tense form of can:
It is used to express ability, possibility, permission, or polite requests in the past.
Examples of how could can be used:
When I was younger, I could run much faster than I can now.
(ability in the past)
I couldn’t find my keys this morning, so I was late for work.
(inability or lack of ability in the past)
Could you please pass me the salt?
(polite request in the past)
He could have been more polite when he talked to me.
(possibility or past conditional)
In the last example, could is used in the perfect infinitive form to indicate a possibility or past conditional.
It means that something was possible in the past, but did not actually happen.
It’s important to note that could is not always used as a past form of can.
It can also be used in the present and future tense to express possibility or polite requests, or in conditional sentences to express hypothetical situations.
Auxiliary Verbs: shall and will