How might 'could' express a past belief about future potential?

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 20, 2021 ... “Would you” is correct, because you are asking if someone will do something and not if they can do it. “Would you” also sounds more polite than ... Mar 10, 2025 ... On the spectrum of certainty and politeness, “can” is the most direct, “could” adds a layer of politeness or uncertainty, and “would” is often ... 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 ... Apr 25, 2023 ... Could is another modal verb that is used in a similar way to can. Could is used to: talk about past ability; talk about past possibility; make ... Sep 3, 2021 ... “It can be hard to tell the difference between food poisoning and a stomach virus,” she admits. “If you've just been to an event where food ... Difference between CAN and COULD ; 3. Can is used to refer to the present and the future. Could can be used in all the tenses: present, past, and future ; 4. CAN ... May 11, 2022 ... Knowing the differences between arthritis and other joint problems can help you address the root cause of your pain. Do you know the differences between two modal verbs ~ can vs could in English? Check the lesson below and find out what the differences are! May 26, 2020 ... Drinking and drug use can have a devastating impact on your health, especially when you have trouble controlling your consumption. Drug and ...