Questions tagged [can-could]
For questions about the difference between "can" and "could". This tag should also be used for questions about the interchangeability of the two words in a particular context.
47 questions
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Max couldn’t go out after dark. <permission at a past time?>
A linguistics paper titled "Tense and Modals" by Tim Stowell shows these examples and explains them as follows:
(9) a. Carl can’t move his arm. (ability at the utterance
time)
b. Carl ...
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Is "Could you help me move these boxes?" interpreted as deontic or dynamic when it comes to the modality families?
I have a problem with the following clause:
Could you help me move these boxes?
I would like to know for my upcoming English test that if this clause is interpreted as epistemic, deontic or dynamic.
...
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Meaning of 'could have done something'? [closed]
In the following sentence,
If you had tried harder you could have succeeded.
does could have succeeded mean would have been able to succeed, or might have been able to succed, or is it ambiguous if ...
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What are the differences between "could" and "can" when stating a possibility?
For demanding payments there are two ways to say :
You could transfer to this account
You can transfer to this account
Both make a grammatical sentence. Are there subtle differences between them I ...
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Can vs Could usage differences
He goes to London every month so that he can see his ailing father.
He goes to London every month so that he could see his ailing father.
Which of the above sentences is correct??
My friends are ...
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What is the difference between "Can ever" and "Could ever"
Im just wondering what's differences between can and could. For example in this sentence.
Do you think we can ever get there?
Do you think we could ever get there?
I know that "could" is ...
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Can you marry me? vs Will you marry me?
I'm having a hard time explaining to my students "Can you marry me?" is not the right question to ask while proposing to someone.
Likewise; "Will you dance with me?" sounds perfectly natural while "...
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Can I use the verb 'to do' to emphasize the verb 'can'?
The verb 'to do' can be used to emphasize things, e.g.: I do understand it.
Can it be used to emphasize a sentence that uses the verb 'can'? E.g.: I do can play football.
If not, how could I achieve ...
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Why is "can" so often preferred over "could" in hypothetical questions in media headlines?
Just some examples from the media:
Can planting billions of trees save the planet?
Can modular homes solve the UK's housing crisis?
Can the Democrats Do Better Than Trump on North Korea?
Don’t Assume ...
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"Can" or "could" in the mentioned sentence?
Could / Can Happiness bring pain?
The above sentence is not meant to mean the past time. "Could", and not "can", is used for past. So, "can" is preferable in the sentence?
On the other hand, the ...
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can vs could in an informal request
Could anyone help me with can vs could in a request? I know 'can' is used in an informal way 'Hi bro, can I use your pen?' and 'could' in a formal way 'Excuse me, could I use your pen please?' But ...
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Is it correct to use "could" when confirming something? [duplicate]
"I just want to confirm that I could be included in the committee although I am no longer affiliated with the university"
Is the sentence above correct or should I use "can" instead of "could"?
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Can and Could's usage?
Always I appreciate your answers. Today I made a list of the usage of Can and Could for my better understanding for English. Though, I am still getting used to with this site. Therefore, my list is ...
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"How could I" and "how could I have" in rhetorical questions
I have a question about using could and could have in rhetorical
questions.
I was watching a video where a very old man
who was talking to a priest about his childhood asked the priest, “How
could I ...
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Is "could" interchangeable with "can"? [duplicate]
Is "could" interchangeable with "can"?
for example, there are coversations like these:
example. 1
A: I could run faster than you.
B: No way.
In this case, the "could" is referring to ...
user262078
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inversion with "could" in conditionals
This well-known grammar trick to sound more formal with "were" "had" and "should" in conditional sentences.
Is it possible to use it with "could" (and even "might")?
"If I could do it, it would be......
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So, we don't have "can have + PP" in English, do we? but we do have "can't have +PP", don't we?
Modal verbs like can, could, may, might,.... are very difficult & arbitrary.
According to this site:
can't have + past participle: I'm fairly sure this wasn't true
Ex: She can't have ...
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Which is the polite reminder in this case?
I was asking someone to do me a small favour last week, and I know he didn't do it yet. So, I would like to ask him very politely if he did it or not, so he will remember to do it.
Which is the right ...
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The usage of "could" and "can" in questions [duplicate]
Which of the following is more appropriate?
Can you go?
Could you go?
Is there anything wrong in asking like this "Could you go?"
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Difference between can & could [duplicate]
What is the difference between the following sentences? for me both are same.
you can search it in google &
you could search it in google
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could or allowed to
Are both examples acceptable?
As I had to go to the dentist, I was allowed to leave work early
As I had to go to the dentist, I could leave work early.
Does the implied permission legitimise the ...
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Difference between "can't do" and "can't be doing"
What is the difference between the sentences "I can't do this" and "I can't be doing this"?
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The 'can' confusion [closed]
Every time there is a lesson on modals I am taught that the modal 'can' is about ability.
How should I determine when 'can' literally means ability, and when it is just a request? Does the question '...
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Modals usage can/could [closed]
We were checking some exercises and I wanted to know what's the correct modal to use:
Gemma is away in Australia all summer. You ___ (can / see) her yesterday!
The answer is can't have seen, which ...
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present/conditional tense agreement?
Is the following sentence (from a cookbook) grammatically correct?
"I am fairly certain that nothing could possibly go wrong when eggs and tomatoes intersect."
After this sentence, the author ...
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"can give" or "could give" as second verb in a past sentence [closed]
I have the following 2 sentences:
"what Pablo said can give you a hint"
"what Pablo said could give you a hint"
Are they both correct? if no, which one and why?
Thank you very much
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Usage of 'can't'
Please look at this sentence:
" I can't do the fourth and fifth questions but I have done all the other questions"
is this correct?
Because in first part present tense is used with the usage of "do"...
user130134
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Does "Could I ...?" always sound more polite than "Can I ...?"?
For example, if I say
Could I borrow your pen?
Does it sound more polite than
Can I borrow your pen?
I am not a native English speaker, but I rarely hear someone says "Could I ...?". Isn't ...
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Difference in the usage? ; It "can / could / must" be something serious
I'm teaching English in Japan. I'm using "Grammar In Use Intermediate Workbook" (Cambridge). The following is the question in the workbook:
Complete the sentence. Use can, could, must or (...
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If XYZ can or could?
I am drafting an invitation to some clients regarding an event our company is holding.
The template I am going off suggests closing the email with:
"It will be great if [FIRM] can RSVP by March 20th"...
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Why is it "could" and not "can" in the famous line: "If a face could launch a thousand ships"? [duplicate]
This is from a song lyric
If a picture paints a thousand words,
Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show the you I've come to know.
If a face could launch a thousand ships,
...
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Difference beween requests “can”, “could” and “may”? [duplicate]
We can use can, could, and may for requests and permissions, but is there any difference between the meanings of the following three versions?
May I go?
Can I go?
Could I go?
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Can I use 'could' instead of 'might' in this unreal situation?
Are might and could exchangeable in this unreal situation?
If I were in Tom's position, I think I might look for another job.
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Which sentence is wrong? [closed]
Take a look at this part of a conversation:
A: I got very wet walking home in the rain last night.
|1. You could have taken a taxi.
B: Why did you walk? |2. You could take a ...
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could and might to talk about future possibility
I have problem with using could in the future possibilities
for example:
They have the technology, but unless the government makes stricter laws, car companies ____ do it.
With which one should I ...
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If only you could see what I have seen with your eyes
I watch film science fiction The Blade Runer and man says this sentence. he is holding eye in his hand. I see in in a subtitle but I am not understanding this meaning. Can my friends in a Language and ...
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Past or present to explain an active state in a past sentence
So, I have a sentence, more or less like this:
"Gil, who HAS a psychokinesis ability, studied math yesterday."
or
"Gil, who CAN move things without touching them, studied math yesterday."...
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Are "should've", "could've", etc. valid short forms of "should have" and "could have"?
This is interesting - if I write "should've" (for "should have"), my spell checker underlines the word. Same happens if I do "could've" (for "could have"). I use these forms but I'm starting to ...
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Meaning of the phrase "I could tell" [closed]
Context:
I was so happy I felt tears starting in my eyes, and then she up and hugged me.
I think she could tell.
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Is it incorrect to say "If you could"?
I tend to use the following construction often in my e-mails:
It would be great if you could...
However my German colleague repeatedly reminds me that according to the rules he was taught, using "...
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Is the structure "can have verb-ed" possible?
I have seen and heard sentences like these:
He could have gone too far.
John can't have eaten all the cake.
But I don't seem to encounter this structure:
She can have done the work.
I tried ...
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"Can I have one apple from your box?" vs "Could I have one apple from your box?" [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do I use “can” or “could”?
I was doing some reading on usage of can and could. I understand that can is used when asking for ability, and could for willingness.
I would ...
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"Can have" vs. "could have"
One often hears primarily people from the UK using the phrase can have in certain past tenses. What exactly is the difference between using could have and can have?
I used to believe that can turns ...
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"Can" vs. "could" in asking a question [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do I use “can” or “could”?
I am a little bit confused about asking a question:
Can you please tell me my next work?
or
Could you please tell me my next work?
...
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Is either "can" or "could" more polite? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do I use “can” or “could”?
I wonder which of the following is more polite:
Can you please change my email address?
Could you please change my email address?
...
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When should we use "can", "could", "will", "would"?
Most people say I wish I could, I wish you would.
Can we use I wish I can, I wish you will?
I'd like to know what the main differences between the usage of can/will and could/would are when ...
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When do I use "can" or "could"?
When should I use can? When should I use could?
What is right under what context?
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