Ive got to be in the meeting at 10 and the train doesnt get in until 10.15. For example, you could say: However, there are a few instances of polite expression where you only use would or could. Learn why. While could shows ability or possibility, would shows certainty in a past or hypothetical situation. All rights reserved. Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead. Lets again look at the first example. Now, take a look at the difference between "would" and "could" in polite expressions. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins I could swim well at that age a esa edad nadaba muy bien ; I could hear them talking los oa hablar ; I could have tried harder poda haberme esforzado ms ; he couldn't have been kinder fue de lo ms amable ; how COULD you! Advertisement Dont let your confusion of "would" vs. "could" lead to an embarrassing grammar mistake. Good luck! Could: form Affirmative (+) form Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We could have lunch early. . Apparently time had caught up with Mom before she could finish. Im certain that the storm will get worse. Not: We hired a car and we could drive 1,000 miles in one week. Note: These are only a handful of many aborted could-be classics. It is used to express that someone is able to do something in the past. We use could, may and might to express degrees of possibility. Now it takes me 20 minutes! You shouldnt smoke. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English, I could buy a wonderful bag to match my shoes, We hired a car and we could drive 1,000 miles in one week, Adjectives and adjective phrases: typical errors, Adverbs and adverb phrases: typical errors, Nationalities, languages, countries and regions. Not: We hired a car and we could drive 1,000 miles in one week. The simple past tense form of can is could. Could is a verb with many senses. If I were to take a vacation, it could be somewhere warm and tropical. If you say that someone could do something, you mean that they have the ability to do it, but they don't in fact do it. We use can to make general statements about what is possible: It can be very cold here in winter. Not only did you have the ability to ride your bike home in 10 minutes, but you did do it in 10 minutes. I wish I could've been there to see him open his presents. 2. a used to say that something is possible. (You didnt call I think you should have called.). Both of these words start with the same letter as their root verb, which makes them easy to remember. Im not certain that the storm will get worse. See how your sentence looks with different synonyms. Possibility and impossibility. I cant play piano, but my brother can [play piano]. cmo has podido! In high school, I could do my homework on the bus. If you are looking to make a statement of ability, think to yourself, I can do that., If you are looking to make a statement of certainty or intent, think to yourself, I will do that.. 2. We knew they were in there. (= Maybe they will come by car.) We use could to ask for permission. 2. If I were to take a vacation, it would be somewhere warm and tropical. Not: I could buy a wonderful bag to match my shoes. They could be the champions if they can start to get along. When I was young, I could easily touch my toes. Try These Funny Work Quotes, 12 Words For New Beginnings And Starting Over, Out With The Old, And In With The Perfect End-Of-Year Quotes, Find The Right Shade With This Full List Of Colors. Could is the past tense of can, a verb used to denote ability. We use could have + -ed form to talk about things that did not happen and sometimes to expresses regret: We often use the expression how could you/she/he/they? Use COULD and COULDNT for ability in the past Could and couldnt are the past forms of can and cant: When I was younger, I could run a mile in 7 minutes. 4. Senior defensive linemen Mike Morris and Mazi Smith are both also entering the NFL draft, which makes a minimum of four starters in coordinator Jesse Minter's defense who, The finding demonstrates how the observatory, In March 2021, the supreme court ruled the incriminating statements made by Julie Jensen that were revealed after her death, Neither Bain nor Deleveaux expressed particular concern about the knock-on effects FTX, The planet, called TOI 700 e, is orbiting around a star and, Now, a study published January 10 in the journal Hypertension offers even more evidence of the positive health outcomes that sodium reduction, and as a polite or less forceful alternative to, Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. In other words, you had the ability to ride your bike home in 10 minutes, but that doesnt mean it was necessarily done in 10 minutes. You use could to say that there is a possibility that something is or will be true. (= Maybe they are at home.) Can vs. Could: Whats The Difference? The difference between could and would are presented in the points given below: Could is the past tense form of the verb can which indicates a past ability of someone or possibility of an action or happening. Using the word opinion. The negative form of could is couldnt. Thesaurus / could FEEDBACK could See definition of could on Dictionary.com verb preserve fruit, vegetable verb be able verb fire from job synonyms for could Compare Synonyms keep bottle put up antonyms for could MOST RELEVANT cannot employ hire , in the past conditional We said we would go if we could. Now it takes me 20 minutes! Thanks!, Would you like to join us for dinner? Only men could go to the club in those days. Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. Usage see: can. Yesterday, I couldnt find my wallet anywhere but this morning I found it. Could is the past tense of can, a verb used to denote ability. (= Maybe they are at home.) Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, the webmaster's page for free fun content. Could you act as an interpreter for us, please? As you can see, you are offering a possibility. It just means that you had the ability to do it in 10 minutes. You could [= might, may] be making the biggest mistake of your life! Feeling confident about how much youve learned about these verbs? 5. SMART Vocabulary: palavras e frases relacionadas Gramtica Can, could or may: typical errors Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one. Would: Past tense of will; expresses something happening in the past or in an imaginary or hypothetical situation Could: Past tense of can; shows the potential or ability of something happening While they're clearly different, their usage in a sentence isn't always as clear. Could is a verb with many senses. A soda would be great. cmo has podido! to make polite offers: Would you like anything to drink? It is also used for some conditional present and future tenses of can. Malinger More With This Word Of The Day Quiz! 2. a used to say that something is possible. I hate to ask you for another favor, but I wonder if I could pay you to drive me home. You use could have to say that there is a possibility that something was true in the past. What do you think? We use could have + -ed form to talk about possibility in the past: They could have taken a taxi home instead of walking and getting wet. I would buy a big house if I had a million dollars. For example, "I would love to go to Barbados.". Can and could are used to say that someone is allowed to do something. When used this way, could is used to express conditional or hypothetical ability or possibility even when talking about the present or the future. They are also used to say that someone has permission to do something. She could not ( couldnt ) drive a car. could modal verb (SHOULD) used for saying, especially angrily, what you think someone else should do: Well, you could try to look a little more enthusiastic! Could: form Affirmative (+) form Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We could have lunch early. It was stuck. 2. When discussing the past in this context, the word could is often used alongside the auxiliary verb have. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Conflicting, positive or strongly held? We use could to show that something is possible, but not certain: They could come by car. A few weeks wouldn't mean the difference in paying for college, and she could use the time to relax. In my prime, I could bench press 250 pounds. By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions Could. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/could. The evidence is not conclusive, but he could (very well) be right. Not: I could buy a wonderful bag to match my shoes. If I were to take a vacation, it could be somewhere tropical, but it also could be somewhere coldperhaps Colorado to go skiing. Im certain that the storm will get worse. (= It is sometimes very cold here in winter.) I am certain that it is blue. We use could when reporting clauses with can as past events: They told us we could wait in the hallway. 2. Don't use can or could after any other verbs. Could cannot be used with another modal verb: We Could is also the past tense of can. This shows grade level based on the word's complexity. In my prime, I could bench press 250 pounds. (used in asking for permission): Could I borrow your pen? These uses are dealt with separately in this entry. When it comes to polite expressions, like making a request or asking permission, could and would can be used pretty interchangeably. Could cannot be used with another modal verb: We could modal verb (SHOULD) used for saying, especially angrily, what you think someone else should do: Well, you could try to look a little more enthusiastic! used as an auxiliary to make the past tense of, used as an auxiliary, esp in polite requests or in conditional sentences, to make the subjunctive mood of, used as an auxiliary to indicate suggestion of a course of action, you could take the car tomorrow if it's raining, used as an auxiliary to indicate a possibility, Doomed Passion Projects of Hollywood: The Lost Classics of Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and More, Everyday Sexism Creator Laura Bates on Helping Women Speak Out. If loading fails, click here to try again. Conversely, would is making a definite claim. You use can to say that something is sometimes possible. Could I have a map of the subway, please? Could we have another cup of coffee, please? Couldnt and couldnt have + -ed form express strong possibility: She must have made a mistake. An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with. 1. Privacy Policy. Clear up your doubts about confusing words and use English more confidently! Like other auxiliary verbs, can and could often appear alone in sentences. When we want to guess or predict something, we use couldnt as the negative form of must. When actual past achievements are mentioned, we usually use was/were able to or managed to but not could in affirmative clauses. In my opinion, you _________ dye your hair blonde. Being lost is bad, but it could be worsewe could still be in the woods. I could run faster then. COULD Synonyms: 47 Synonyms & Antonyms for COULD | Thesaurus.com Find Out! (= It is sometimes very cold here in winter.) English is full of verbs that seem interchangeable or at least only trivially different, but skilled writers know when and how to use them for maximum clarity. Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright 2013 by the Philip Lief Group. Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): Could cannot be used with another modal verb: Not: We could might drive to France. When each letter can be seen but not heard. 10. Sure!. I waited ages for you - you could have said that you weren't coming! His recovery could take months. A good way to remember the differences between these two words is simply to bring each word back to its root verb. Can and could are called modals. We use could to ask for permission. When your father was a boy, he _________ play soccer for 5 hours straight without getting tired. Need synonyms for could? The subject and could change position to form questions. Once you are finished, click the button below. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'could.' to show disapproval (to show that we dont like what someone has done): Grandfather, how could you? me dieron ganas de pegarle! Apparently time had caught up with Mom before she could finish. Is this year's Sundance sales frenzy a direct result of last year's little-movie-that-could? Would is the past tense of will, which denotes both ability and certainty. This is because they are facts, rather than possibilities: I was able to/managed to buy a wonderful bag to match my shoes. A firework couldnt have done all that damage. Using COULD COULD and/or COULDNT is used as the past tense of CAN and/or CANT. cmo has podido! In my prime, I could bench press 250 pounds. ( Ability in the Past) Examples: I could speak four languages when I was younger. Learning the difference between "can" vs. "could" and when to use each one couldn't get any easier! Click here to learn more about this e-book. We use couldnt have + -ed form as the negative form of must have + -ed. Although they seem similar, there are definite situations when one word is more appropriate than the other. When actual past achievements are mentioned, we usually use was/were able to or managed to but not could in affirmative clauses. could've contraction: colloquial, abbreviation (could have) potere v : I could've been someone, you know. That ugly fellow who swore at me the day before was in the boat, and I c-, He was all innuendo and strange hints and whispered secrets, and I-, She was awfully shocked,or pretended to be,and wrote me a very O-dear-how-, He might go and tell Willy all about it; he would ask him to interfere-, These are (Paul says) lima beans Munchausen, and here we have. (possibility), Can I have some water, please? Find out which word to choose and when. Again? Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Random House, Inc. 2023, Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition His recovery could take months. Related Words and Phrases See Also What is the opposite of could? Now that you know what they are, you can break down their respective meanings. (used to express possibility): That could never be true. Could is also used to form hypothetical or conditional statements (in whats called the subjunctive mood), as in If you could have any superpower, what would it be? and mental processes (think, believe, remember, understand etc. A firework couldnt have done all that damage. We use can to make general statements about what is possible: It can be very cold here in winter. Yes! A mega-luxury deal that would merge Neiman Marcus with the company that owns Saks Fifth Avenue is in the works, sources told The Post. (I was so angry) you could have warned me! Lets take the first of these two examples. Get a clearer understanding of this difference by looking at a few more example sentences. We use could have + -ed form to talk about possibility in the past: They could have taken a taxi home instead of walking and getting wet. These words are used to talk about ability, awareness, and possibility. I __________ call you last night because I left my cell phone at home. We could order pizza tonight. 3. Could: form Affirmative (+) form Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We could have lunch early. We use can: We dont usually use could to talk about single events that happened in the past. 2. of can 1. auxiliary verb. Follow these quick and easy guidelines to never get confused again. If you want to say that someone had the ability to do something but did not in fact do it, you say that they could have done it. I could taste nothing but salt. Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We often use could to express possibility in the present and the future. Can and could are used with verbs such as see, hear, and smell to say that someone is or was aware of something through one of their senses. 5. It will be somewhere tropical. He could play football well when he was a kid. Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): Could cannot be used with another modal verb: Not: We could might drive to France. For example: When I was younger, I would ride my bike home in 10 minutes. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English, I could buy a wonderful bag to match my shoes, We hired a car and we could drive 1,000 miles in one week, Adjectives and adjective phrases: typical errors, Adverbs and adverb phrases: typical errors, Nationalities, languages, countries and regions. Im not going to punish you, even though I could [punish you]. Find out which word to choose and when. Also see under can; couldn't. Could is more formal and polite than can: We dont use could to give or refuse permission. We dont use do/does/did: We use could and couldnt in question tags: We often use could to express possibility in the present and the future. His recovery could take months. 3. Present perfect simple or present perfect continuous? ): The food was terrible. (permission), Sure, you can have some water. , in the past conditional We said we would go if we could. Instead, follow these simple rules that are illustrated with example sentences. Helen, _________ you come over here for a minute? 4. This could be our only chance to get out of here. Case in Point or Case and Point Whats the Difference? When you sign up for English tips by e-mail! (The speaker remembers hearing You can book the tickets online.). Delivered to your inbox! Could and can are used to talk about possibility in the present or future. Last year, he couldnt speak English very well, but now he can. It can be easy to mix up can with could. Using the word opinion. A few weeks wouldn't mean the difference in paying for college, and she could use the time to relax. Now it takes me 20 minutes! Sign up to make the most of YourDictionary. Could: form Affirmative (+) form Could comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb): We could have lunch early. 8. This medicine could help your cold. Sentences with the word could First recorded in 14501500; alteration of late Middle English, Dictionary.com Unabridged I could put advertisements on Facebook and Google. 2. Still confused? (possibility), Could I have some water, please? could (kd; unstressed kd) v. 1. a pt. How could you have gone without telling me? Could is more formal and polite than can: We dont use could to give or refuse permission. When I was young, I could easily touch my toes. (The original words were probably: You can wait in the hallway.), She said we could book the tickets online. The evidence is not conclusive, but he could (very well) be right. She could not ( couldnt ) drive a car. could've contraction: colloquial, abbreviation (could have) potere v : I could've been someone, you know. Improve your vocabulary with English Vocabulary in Use from Cambridge.Learn the words you need to communicate with confidence. Thats not good you should go to the doctor., I want to make more friends, but I dont know how. How could you leave me? In these examples, the omitted verb or verb phrase is included in brackets for clarity: For a related comparison, check out our guide to can vs. may. Home Could vs. Would Whats the Difference? He could not move his arm. Both would and could are modal auxiliary verbs, which are better known as a form of helping verbs. Last year, he couldnt speak English very well, but now he can. The negative form of can is cannot or can't. Hear a word and type it out. Thesaurus / could FEEDBACK could See definition of could on Dictionary.com verb preserve fruit, vegetable verb be able verb fire from job synonyms for could Compare Synonyms keep bottle put up antonyms for could MOST RELEVANT cannot employ hire Over the next three days, temperatures could reach the low 20s in Washington, posing one last crucial test for the buds. A few weeks wouldn't mean the difference in paying for college, and she could use the time to relax. When asking for permission, could is often considered to be more formal or more polite than can. me dieron ganas de pegarle! Could and would are two such verbs. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. The negative form of could is couldnt. 'pa pdd chac-sb tc-bd bw hbr-20 hbss lpt-25' : 'hdn'">, Test your vocabulary with our fun image quizzes, Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English. 0 && stateHdr.searchDesk ? I had the ability to do my homework on the bus, but this doesnt mean that I did. Using COULD COULD and/or COULDNT is used as the past tense of CAN and/or CANT. to show disapproval (to show that we dont like what someone has done): Grandfather, how could you? Im not certain that the storm will get worse. 5. Could cannot be used with another modal verb: We I waited ages for you - you Learn a new word every day. (The original words were probably: You can wait in the hallway.), She said we could book the tickets online. Search For Life's Meaning Starting With These Quotes. Need synonyms for could? 1. Apparently time had caught up with Mom before she could finish. The difference between could and would are presented in the points given below: Could is the past tense form of the verb can which indicates a past ability of someone or possibility of an action or happening. We could hear voices inside. could modal verb (SHOULD) used for saying, especially angrily, what you think someone else should do: Well, you could try to look a little more enthusiastic! I could swim well at that age a esa edad nadaba muy bien ; I could hear them talking los oa hablar ; I could have tried harder poda haberme esforzado ms ; he couldn't have been kinder fue de lo ms amable ; how COULD you! The subject and could change position to form questions. Should you use would or could" in your sentence? Fourteen words that helped define the year. Using COULD COULD and/or COULDNT is used as the past tense of CAN and/or CANT. (= It is sometimes very cold here in winter.) (You didnt call I think you should have called.). In this sense, could refers to some ability that someone had in the past. 1. Could expresses possibility, while would expresses certainty and intent.
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