How might 'could' express a less direct inference about a past situation's meaning?

Feb 13, 2013 ... "Can" is a rude way to ask, it's like giving a command. "Could" is a polite way to ask, it's like a requesting. Aug 11, 2002 ... Calvin Trillin writes about a test designed to determine whether wine drinkers can tell the difference between red and white only by taste ... Can, could, and be able to are all used to talk about a person's ability to do something. You use can or be able to to talk about ability in the present. Be ... In this blog post, you'll learn the usage of the modal verbs can and could and understand the difference between them. These auxiliary verbs are essential ... CAN/COULD are modal auxiliary verbs. We use CAN to: a) talk about possibility and ability b) make requests c) ask for or give permission. We use COULD to: ... Apr 3, 2019 ... “Hi, could someone please tell me the difference between the free ... I understand with the latter that you go inside Bodleian Library but can't I ... Sep 19, 2024 ... The primary difference is that “can” refers to present abilities or permissions, while “could” refers to past abilities or hypothetical ... “Can” and “able to” are the same in the present tense: Yes, I can take on this project. Yes, I'm able to take on this project. Jun 6, 2024 ... “Can” is used to express present ability or possibility, such as in the sentences “I can swim” and “You can reach me by phone.” On the other ... Jan 30, 2024 ... Users can also create custom policy options to examine ... For options that increase the subminimum wage, the percentage difference between ...