Could

1. Present
Modal Use 2. Past
3. Future

Negative Forms

You can
also use:

1. John could be the one who 1. Mary couldn't be the one

stole the money.
who stole the money.

could
possibility

2. John could have been

the one who stole the
money.

2. Mary couldn't have

been the one who stole
the money.

3. John could be charged

with the crime when the
police finish the
investigation.

3. Mary couldn't possibly

be charged with the crime
after the police examine
the evidence.

might,
may

1. Even if I had more time, I

1. If I had more time, I could couldn't travel around the
world.
travel around the world.
2. If I had had more time, 2. Even if I had had more
time, I couldn't have
I could have travelled
conditional around the world.
travelled around the
(can, could)
world.
3. If I had more time this
3. Even if I had more time
winter, I could travel
this winter, I couldnt
around the world.
travel around the world.

could

1. NO PRESENT FORM

could
suggestion

2. You could have spent

your vacation in Hawaii.
3. You could spend your
vacation in Hawaii.

I could run ten miles in

my twenties.
could
past ability I could speak Chinese
when I was a kid.

could
polite
request

NO NEGATIVE FORMS

Could I have something

to drink?

I couldn't run more than a

be able
mile in my twenties.
to
I couldn't speak Swahili.
Couldn't he come with us? can,
may,
Couldn't you help me with might

Could I borrow your

stapler?

this for just a second?

(Requests usually refer to the

(Requests usually refer to the
near future.)
near future.)