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REFERENCE

could

v. · n.
US //ˈkʊd// UK //kˈʊd// could
  1. 1 past ability (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    used to say that someone was able to do something in the past.

    the past tense of 'can', used to denote general ability or permission in the past.

    Example

    When I was five years old, I could already ride a bicycle without help.

    Example

    In her youth, she could speak four languages fluently, though she lost much of that proficiency after decades of living abroad.

    Usage

    Followed by the bare infinitive without 'to'.
    • was able to
    • managed to
    • couldn't
    • was unable to
    Pitfall
    When I was young, I could to swim very fast.
    When I was young, I could swim very fast.

    Do not use 'to' after modal verbs like 'could'.

  2. 2 possibility (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    used to talk about something that is possible now or in the future.

    used to express a theoretical or conditional possibility in the present or future.

    Example

    We should bring an umbrella because it could rain later this afternoon.

    Example

    The economic forecast suggests that interest rates could rise significantly if inflation remains above the target threshold through the next quarter.

    Usage

    Often used to express a lower degree of certainty than 'will' or 'can'.
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  1. 3 polite requests (v.)
    A2 Elementary Formal

    you use this to ask for something or ask for permission in a polite way.

    used as a polite or formal alternative to 'can' when making requests or seeking permission.

    Example

    Could you please open the window? It is getting quite warm in here.

    Example

    Could you possibly provide a more detailed breakdown of the expenses incurred during the initial phase of the project?

    Teacher's tip

    Explain to learners that 'could' is generally considered more polite and less direct than 'can' in social interactions.
  2. 4 suggestions (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    used to suggest a possible plan or idea.

    used to make tentative suggestions or propose a course of action.

    Example

    If you are bored this weekend, we could go to the new cinema in town.

    Example

    We could always postpone the launch until the marketing materials are fully vetted by the legal department.

    Usage

    Often used with 'always' to suggest a fallback option.
  3. 5 a potentiality (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Academic Literary

    something that might happen or be true in a different situation.

    a potential event or state; something that is possible but not yet realised.

    Example

    The philosopher talked about the 'coulds' and 'shoulds' of human life.

    Example

    The debate moved beyond established facts into a realm of 'coulds' and 'mights', where speculation outweighed empirical evidence.

    Teacher's tip

    This noun use is very rare and mostly found in philosophical or highly abstract writing.
Origin

From Middle English coude, couthe, cuthe, from Old English cūþe, past indicative and past subjunctive form of cunnan (“to be able”) (compare related cūþ, whence English couth). Cognate with German konnte, Swedish kunde. The -l- in the spelling was added in the early 16th century by analogy with should and would; this analogy formerly affected the pronunciation as well and was probably assisted by the tendency for /l/ to be lost in those words (and so not written, leading to shudd, wode, etc).

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