The meaning of COULD is —used in auxiliary function in the past, in the past conditional, and as an alternative to can suggesting less force or certainty or as a polite form in the present. How to use …

COULD definition: a simple past tense of can. See examples of could used in a sentence.

Could is also used to talk about ability in the present, but it has a special meaning. 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.

Mar 23, 2023 · Learn the difference between can vs. could and how to use each of them in a sentence, with examples of each word used correctly.

Do you use “can” and “could” correctly in English? Join me and learn how to use these two important modal verbs, in terms of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

COULD definition: 1. past simple of "can", used to talk about what someone or something was able or allowed to do…. Learn more.

Could is more formal and polite than can: Could I ask you a personal question? We don’t use could to give or refuse permission.

Find 40 different ways to say COULD, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.

Could expresses possibility, while would expresses certainty and intent. A good way to remember the differences between these two words is simply to bring each word back to its root verb.

Definition of could modal verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.