/kʊd/ ES
/kəd/ MX
Translation
The past form of "can", or a polite way to ask or to talk about what is possible.
Grammar
Examples
.
"Could" shows she was able to read in the past.
?
Here "could" makes a polite request.
later.
"Could" shows that rain is possible.
Used in
Stories
(20)A New Day
1 min read · Core 1000
One Sheep Short
4 min read · Core 5000
The Boat in the Garden
4 min read · Core 5000
The Broken Window
4 min read · Core 5000
The Letter She Never Sent
4 min read · Core 5000
The Long Way Home
4 min read · Core 1000
The Passenger
4 min read · Core 5000
Two Gardens
4 min read · Core 5000
Not in Front of Them
5 min read · Core 1000
The Box in the Wood
5 min read · Core 5000
The First Letter
5 min read · Core 5000
The Midnight Piano
5 min read · Core 5000
The Night Route
5 min read · Core 5000
The Photograph
5 min read · Core 5000
The Register
5 min read · Core 5000
The Suggestion Box
5 min read · Core 5000
The Swimming Lesson
5 min read · Core 5000
The Tuesday Visitor
5 min read · Core 5000
The Whale on the Beach
5 min read · Core 5000
The Last Light
8 min read · Core 5000
Grammar articles
(27)Adjective order in English: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose
Conditional sentences in English: the four types explained
Countable and uncountable nouns in English: advice, information, news and the ones you simply have to learn
Dummy subjects in English: it's raining, there's a problem, and why the subject slot is never empty
Emphasis in English: I do like it, my own, the very, and how to push back
Future in the past: was going to, would, was about to, and the grammar of plans that failed
Gradable and ungradable adjectives: why very furious sounds wrong, and which intensifier goes where
English grammar test: 30 questions with answers (A2-B2)
Hedging and vague language in English: sort of, a bit, -ish, stuff and or so
Indirect questions in English: Could you tell me where the station is, and the word order that goes with it
Linking words in English: however, although, despite, whereas and therefore
Modal verbs in English: rules, examples and how to use them
Modals of deduction in English: must be, might be, could be and can't be
Participle clauses in English: -ing and -ed clauses, and the dangling participle trap
Past modals in English: should have, could have, must have and might have
Past perfect tense: had plus past participle, and when English actually needs it
Past simple tense: rules, examples and when to use it
Present continuous tense: form, spelling and uses
Present simple tense: rules, examples and when to use it
Question tags in English: the mirror rule, aren't I, and tags after let's and imperatives
Relative clauses in English: defining, non-defining and when to drop the pronoun
Reported speech in English: backshift, questions and commands
So, such, too and enough in English: words of degree and result
Used to, would and be used to: talking about past habits and states in English
Verb patterns with objects in English: want somebody to do, make somebody do, and see somebody doing
Wish and if only in English: wish + past, wish + past perfect, wish + would, and why I wish I would is wrong
Word formation in English: how suffixes build word families and give away the part of speech
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Go to my review queueThis word is part of lesson 2.