Can और Could से सम्बंधित सभी advanced points || Use of Can & Could

Описание: Can and Could
Level: Beginner → Intermediate
Topic: Possibility, Ability, Permission, Requests, Offers & Suggestions
1. Possibility and Impossibility
Beginner Level
Could = possible but not certain
We use could when something may happen, but we are not sure.
They could come by car.
(Maybe they will come by car.)
They could be at home.
(Maybe they are at home.)
Can = general possibility
We use can to talk about things that are generally possible or often happen.
It can be very cold here in winter.
(Sometimes it is very cold.)
You can easily get lost in this town.
(People often get lost.)
Can’t / Cannot = impossible
We use can’t or cannot when something is not possible.
That can’t be true.
You cannot be serious.
2. Possibility in the Past
Intermediate Level
Could have = guess about the past
We use could have when we guess something about the past.
It’s ten o’clock. They could have arrived by now.
Where are they? They could have got lost.
Could = general past possibility
We use could to talk about things that were generally possible in the past.
It could be very cold there in winter.
You could easily get lost in that town.
Can’t have / Couldn’t have = impossible in the past
We use these when something was not possible.
They know the way. They can’t have got lost.
He was at work till six. He couldn’t have done the murder.
3. Ability
Beginner Level
Can / Can’t = present ability
We use can and can’t to talk about skills and abilities.
She can speak several languages.
He can swim very well.
They can’t dance very well.
Ability at a specific time
I can see you.
Help! I can’t breathe.
Could / Couldn’t = past ability
She could speak several languages.
They couldn’t dance very well.
Intermediate Level
Could have = ability or chance but didn’t use it
We use could have when someone had the ability or opportunity, but did not do it.
She could have learned Swahili, but she didn’t.
I could have danced all night. (But I didn’t.)
4. Permission
Beginner Level
Can = asking for permission
Can I ask a question?
Can we go home now?
Could = more polite permission
Could is more formal and polite than can.
Could I ask a question, please?
Could we go home now?
Giving permission
You can go home now.
You can borrow my pen.
Saying someone has permission
We can go out whenever we want.
Students can travel for free.
Refusing permission
You can’t go home yet.
Students can’t travel for free.
5. Requests
Could you…? = polite request
Could you take a message, please?
Could I have my bill, please?
Can you…? = less polite
Can you take a message, please?
6. Offers
Can I…? = offering help
Can I help you?
Can I do that for you?
I can / I could = offer
I can do that for you.
I could give you a lift to the station.
7. Suggestions
Could = suggestion
We could meet at the weekend.
You could eat out tonight.
8. Questions and Negatives
Questions
We make questions by putting the subject after can/could:
Can I…?
Could I…?
Can you…?
Could you…?
Negatives
Can’t (spoken) / cannot (written)
(Cannot is more emphatic.)
Couldn’t (spoken) / could not (written)
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