When use can and could?

When use can and could?

Can, like could and would, is used to ask a polite question, but can is only used to ask permission to do or say something (“Can I borrow your car?” “Can I get you something to drink?”). Could is the past tense of can, but it also has uses apart from that–and that is where the confusion lies.

How do you know when to use can or could?

‘Can’ is a modal verb, which is used with the main verb to express the ability of a person or thing in doing something. On the other extreme, ‘could’ is the past participle or second form of the verb, which is used with the main verb to talk about a past the ability of an individual in doing something.

When can I use the word could?

Could, would, and should are all used to talk about possible events or situations, but each one tells us something different. Could is used to say that an action or event is possible. Would is used to talk about a possible or imagined situation, and is often used when that possible situation is not going to happen.

Can could grammar rules?

Uses of Can and Could

• Ability.
• Can expresses ability. Cannot (can’t) shows inability.
• Could.
• Could is the past tense of can. It is used to talk about ability that existed in the past.
• Indirect speech.
• Could is the past tense of can in indirect speech.
• Possibility or uncertainty.
• Could may express possibility or uncertainty.

Could vs Can polite?

‘Can’ is used when there is nothing that would stop the thing from happening. When asking someone to do something, either word can be used, but ‘could’ is considered to be more polite.

Can or could you please?

1 Answer. If taken literally, “Can you” is equivalent to asking the person if they’re capable of doing something. “Could you”, on the other hand, implies that the action can be completed under some circumstances by the person. The usage of can you is idiomatic, and hence, is more popular used phrase of the two.

Could you or can you?

All are grammatically correct. Both are fine grammatically, but it appears that you are aiming for a relatively formal setting in which case “Could” is slightly more formal-sounding. Neither would be incorrect, however.

Could and would Examples?

We make use of the word ‘could’ to express ability or past possibility, whereas ‘would’ can be used to show willingness or when we imagine a situation….Comparison Chart.

Basis for Comparison	Could	Would
Examples	Maybe she could meet Piya when she go to Amsterdam.	I would meet you, but I was little busy.

Is it Could you or can you?

Could uses in English?

“Could” is a modal verb used to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests….Using “Could” in Present, Past, and Future

• John could be the one who stole the money.
• John could have been the one who stole the money.
• John could go to jail for stealing the money.