Hey there! This is TOP episode 184. All You Need To Know About ‘COULD’
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Hello there! Thank you for choosing this podcast! Today, we’re going to talk about the function and the use of the word ‘could.’
Before we jump in, please let me invite you to my shop at teacherola.com where you can get access to English Live Classes with the materials, with homework and audio files that will help you digest the vocabulary from ‘Wednesday’ by Netflix and ‘Modern Family’ on Disney+. It’s available at Teacherola.com.
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What is the function of the word ‘could’? ‘Could’ is a modal verb that is used to express possibility, ability, permission, or suggestion.
For instance:
possibility:
I could take the train to work, but I prefer to drive.
If we leave early, we could avoid the traffic.
Ability:
When I was younger, I could swim for hours without getting tired.
She could solve complex math problems with ease.
Permission:
Could I borrow your laptop for a moment?
You could leave early if you finish your work on time.
Suggestion:
You could try the new Italian restaurant on Main Street. I heard it’s really good.
You could try studying with flashcards to help memorize the material.
‘Could’ is also used as the past form of ‘can’ to indicate a past possibility or ability. So ‘could’ is the past and the past participle form of ‘can’. Here are the examples:
I could never understand why people enjoy watching horror movies.
She couldn’t find her keys yesterday, but she eventually found them in her coat pocket.
‘Could’ can be used in a variety of ways. In addition to the examples I just gave, ‘could’ can also be used to express doubt or uncertainty. For example:
I could be wrong, but I think the meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday.
He could be the one who took the last slice of pizza, but I’m not sure.
I don’t think she could have finished the project that quickly.
I could be mistaken, but I don’t remember seeing that document in the file.
‘Could’ can also be used to make a polite request or suggestion, as in these examples:
Could you please pass the salt?
Could I ask you to turn down the music a little?
Could you spare a moment to help me with this task?
Another use of ‘could’ is to express the potential for something to happen. For instance:
If I study hard, I could get a good grade on the test.
If it rains, we could cancel the picnic.
In addition, ‘could’ can be used in a conditional sentence to express a hypothetical situation. For example,
If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would go to Japan.
If I could help you I would. Believe me.
Ain’t that amazing how such a simple word can be used in so many different ways?
But before we wrap up you should know one more thing. As a modal verb, ‘could’ doesn’t have a past tense in the same way as regular verbs do. Instead, it is used to express past possibility or past ability through the addition of a past participle, as in the following examples:
I could have gone to the party last night, but I chose to stay home.
We could have gone to the beach, but the weather was too cold.
In today’s episode, we explored the various functions and uses of the modal verb “could”. We discussed how “could” can be used to indicate possibility, ability, permission, suggestion, uncertainty, doubt, and politeness. We also looked at examples of “could” in various contexts, including the present tense, past tense, and with past participle to express past possibility or ability. To conclude, let’s practice some of the sentences we learned today:
Could I borrow your laptop for a moment?
You could leave early if you finish your work on time.
You could try studying with flashcards to help memorize the material.
She couldn’t find her keys yesterday, but she eventually found them in her coat pocket.
I could be wrong, but I think the meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday.
I don’t think she could have finished the project that quickly.
Could you please pass the salt?
Could you spare a moment to help me with this task?
If it rains, we could cancel the picnic.
I could have gone to the party last night, but I chose to stay home.
And that’s it for today’s episode of the TOP. Go to your inbox and grab the worksheet to evaluate yourself by translating the sentences into English. And if you’re not a TOPeople member, just download the worksheet from teacherola.com/184. Join me next time. Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast and follow it on social media. Thanks for listening! Take care! Stay fearless and say it out loud! Bye!