Could

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Revision as of 16:23, 13 April 2020 by Sashi (talk | contribs) (Past)
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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)

Hypothetical Future

Could can be used to speak about a hypothetical future, but couldn't cannot be used to speak about the 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

  • I couldn't come to your office in April 2020 because of the lockdown.
  • I could see my clients yesterday.

Nevertheless there are many exceptions to this rule! (particularly concessive clauses & when used with focusing adverbs like only or even)

  • Although I could see my Skype clients this morning, I couldn't hear them.
  • I could see my clients yesterday, but I couldn't hear them.
  • I could only hear my clients using Zoom.

Both could and couldn't can be used in the past when followed by a perfect infinitive (e.g. have been):

  • The pandemic could have been worse (if there hadn't been a lockdown).
  • The timing of this shutdown couldn't have been worse for some businesses.
  • The timing of this shutdown couldn't have been better for workers who needed a vacation.

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