Difference between revisions of "Could"
From Creolista!
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*I can come tomorrow. <span style="color:#060;">(correct)</span> | *I can come tomorrow. <span style="color:#060;">(correct)</span> | ||
| + | ==Future== | ||
Now, ''could'' '''can''' be used to speak about a hypothetical future, but, strangely, ''couldn't'' cannot be used for a negative hypothetical future: | Now, ''could'' '''can''' be used to speak about a hypothetical future, but, strangely, ''couldn't'' cannot be used for a negative hypothetical future: | ||
*I could come to your office once the lockdown ends. | *I could come to your office once the lockdown ends. | ||
*<s style="color:#999;">I couldn't come to your office once the lockdown ends.</s> | *<s style="color:#999;">I couldn't come to your office once the lockdown ends.</s> | ||
| − | *I could send it to you by email. (if you would like) | + | *I could send it to you by email. <span style="font-size:75%;">(if you would like)</span> |
| − | *<s style="color:#999;">I couldn't send it to you by email.</s> <-- necessarily interpreted as the past tense (''je ne pouvais pas te l'envoyer par mél.'' | + | *<s style="color:#999;">I couldn't send it to you by email.</s> <span style="font-size:75%;"><-- necessarily interpreted as the past tense (''je ne pouvais pas te l'envoyer par mél.''</span> |
| − | + | ==Past== | |
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''Couldn't'' can also be used for the past tense. However, ''could'' is not generally used for the past tense (except with the <span style="color:#066;font-weight:bold;">perfect infinitive</span>, or with focusing adverbs like "only" or "even") | ''Couldn't'' can also be used for the past tense. However, ''could'' is not generally used for the past tense (except with the <span style="color:#066;font-weight:bold;">perfect infinitive</span>, or with focusing adverbs like "only" or "even") | ||
*I couldn't come to your office in April 2020 because of the lockdown. | *I couldn't come to your office in April 2020 because of the lockdown. | ||
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*The pandemic could <span style="color:#066;font-weight:bold;">have been</span> worse (if there hadn't been a lockdown). | *The pandemic could <span style="color:#066;font-weight:bold;">have been</span> worse (if there hadn't been a lockdown). | ||
| − | + | ==Periphrastics== | |
In the past (and the conditional <span style="font-size:70%;">or "future of the past"</span>) "be able to" may be used. | In the past (and the conditional <span style="font-size:70%;">or "future of the past"</span>) "be able to" may be used. | ||
*was(n't)/were(n't) able to | *was(n't)/were(n't) able to | ||
Revision as of 17:11, 13 April 2020
Could is a tricky word. It is used for both the negative past and the conditional or hypothetical future.
One of the most frequent mistakes I read in emails is:
I couldn't come tomorrow.(incorrect)- I can come tomorrow. (correct)
Future
Now, could can be used to speak about a hypothetical future, but, strangely, couldn't cannot be used for a negative hypothetical future:
- I could come to your office once the lockdown ends.
I couldn't come to your office once the lockdown ends.- I could send it to you by email. (if you would like)
I couldn't send it to you by email.<-- necessarily interpreted as the past tense (je ne pouvais pas te l'envoyer par mél.
Past
Couldn't can also be used for the past tense. However, could is not generally used for the past tense (except with the perfect infinitive, or with focusing adverbs like "only" or "even")
- I couldn't come to your office in April 2020 because of the lockdown.
- I could only see my clients using Zoom, Whatsapp or Skype in April 2020.
I could see my clients yesterday.- The pandemic could have been worse (if there hadn't been a lockdown).
Periphrastics
In the past (and the conditional or "future of the past") "be able to" may be used.
- was(n't)/were(n't) able to
- would(n't) be able to
