How and Where to use Can and Could? – Fix Your English Grammar

How and Where to use Can and Could

How and Where to use Can and Could?

How and Where to use Can and Could

Arnel Nisbet

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How and Where to use Can and Could? Arnel shows where to use “Can” and “Could” in 5 different steps ability, possibility, permission, request and offer.

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How and Where to use Can and Could

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Thank you, Arnel Nisbet and Quora.

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Fix Your English Grammar

How and Where to use Can and Could?

Fix your English Grammar

Arnel Nisbet

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Modal verbs – Can and Could – English Grammar lesson

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Where should we use “can” and “could”?

Answer by Arnel Nisbet, (TEFL teacher, mother of 3, coffee lover). All credit goes to Arnel Nisbet, Thank you!

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Let’s look at CAN and COULD in 5 different steps:

1. ability
2. possibility
3. permission
4. request
5. offer

 CAN = present ability

• I can speak English very well. I have this ability.

• I can party all night, every night. I have this ability.

• I can make the world’s best tiramisu. I have this ability.

COULD = past ability

• I could speak English very well. I had this past ability.

• I could party all night, every night. I had this past ability.

• When I was at uni, I could study for hours. Now I can’t. I had this past ability.

CAN = present possibility

• England can be very expensive. This is possible.

• Be careful. The noodles in this restaurant can be very spicy even though I always say ‘No chili please!’. This is possible.

COULD = possibility in general

• You can use ‘could‘ for the past, present or future. The context of the situation/ sentence will tell you if ‘could’ is referring to the past, present or future.

• My granddad could either be a very nice person, or he could be a horrible person. It always depended on the day. These are two past possibilities.

• If we don’t want to cook tonight, we could go out. What do you think? This is a future possibility.

COULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

• We use ‘could have + past participle‘ when we are speaking about a past hypothetical situation. This is something that did NOT happen.

CAN = informal permission / COULD = formal permission

• Can I borrow your phone? (informal)
• Could I borrow your phone? (formal)

We only use CAN when we give permission. Not COULD.

CAN = informal request / COULD = polite request

(Both are polite if you use ‘please’, but CAN is more informal.)

• Can you close the window please? (informal)
• Could you close the window please? (more polite)

POLITE OFFER – Can you help someone?

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Use either CAN or COULD!

• I can/could drive you to the airport if you need me to.
• I can/could help you with your essay if you want.

 CAN and COULD – How can I use these verbs correctly? 5 SIMPLE STEPS | Arnel’s Everyday English  

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Reference: Arnel Nisbet, “Where should we use “can” and “could”?” originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Fix your English Grammar

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