# could

/ˈkʊd/ (US) · /kˈʊd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/could
Updated: 2026-08-01

## Senses

### 1. past ability

modal verb · CEFR A1

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

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

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

### 2. possibility

modal verb · CEFR A2

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

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

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

### 3. polite requests

modal verb · CEFR A2 · Formal

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

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

- Could you please open the window? It is getting quite warm in here.
- Could you possibly provide a more detailed breakdown of the expenses incurred during the initial phase of the project?

Teaching tip: Explain to learners that 'could' is generally considered more polite and less direct than 'can' in social interactions.

### 4. suggestions

modal verb · CEFR B1

used to suggest a possible plan or idea.

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

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

### 5. a potentiality

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Literary

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

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

- The philosopher talked about the 'coulds' and 'shoulds' of human life.
- The debate moved beyond established facts into a realm of 'coulds' and 'mights', where speculation outweighed empirical evidence.

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

## Examples

- I could swim well when I was younger.
- Could you please open the window to let some fresh air into the room?
- The researchers suggested that the new data could potentially change how we understand climate patterns, though further verification is required.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.