Can and Could
The modal verbs "can" and "could" are used to express ability,
possibility, permission, and requests.
Remember that "could" is often more polite and formal than
"can," especially when making requests or asking for permission.
Here's how you can use each of them in different contexts:
1. Ability:
Present ability: "I can swim."
General ability: "She can speak three languages."
2. Possibility:
"It can be very hot in the summer."
3. Permission:
"Can I leave early today?"
"You can use my phone."
4. Requests:
"Can you help me with this?"
"Can you pass the salt?"
5. Offering:
"I can give you a ride home if you need one."
Using "Could"
6. Past Ability:
"When I was younger, I could run very fast."
"He could play the piano when he was a child."
7. Possibility:
Present or future possibility: "It could rain tomorrow."
Conditional possibility: "If we leave now, we could catch the
train."
8. Permission (Polite):
"Could I borrow your pen?"
"Could we sit here?"
9. Requests (Polite):
"Could you please open the window?"
"Could you tell me the time?"
10. Suggestions:
"We could go to the beach this weekend."
"You could try restarting your computer."
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences with "can" or "could."
11. When I was a child, I ___________ climb trees easily.
12. ___________ you pass me the salt, please?
13. She ___________ speak three languages fluently.
14. ___________ I leave the table now?
15. If you study hard, you ___________ improve your grades.
16. He ___________ play the guitar when he was younger.
17. ___________ you help me with this project tomorrow?
18. We ___________ go to the beach if it doesn’t rain.
19. ___________ I borrow your book for a week?
20. You ___________ find this book at the library.
Exercise 2: Form Questions
Form questions using "can" or "could."
21. you / help / me / with / my / homework
22. I / use / your / phone
23. we / go / to / the / park / today
24. he / swim / when / he / was / a / child
25. they / finish / the / project / on / time
26. she / play / the / piano / when / she / was / six
27. I / have / a / glass / of / water
28. you / come / to / the / meeting / tomorrow
29. I / borrow / your / car / for / the / weekend
30. you / tell / me / the / time
Exercise 3: Sentence Transformation
Transform the sentences using "can" or "could."
31. It is possible for me to finish this by tomorrow. (can)
32. I was able to understand French when I lived in Paris. (could)
33. Is it possible for you to give me a ride home? (can)
34. It might rain tomorrow. (could)
35. Is it possible for us to reschedule the meeting? (could)
Exercise 5: Write Sentences
Write your own sentences using "can" or "could" in the following contexts:
36. Present ability
37. Past ability
38. Request (polite)
39. Permission (polite)
40. Possibility (future)
