How might 'could' express a past limitation?

May 6, 2024 ... Both are modal auxiliary verbs, indicating possibility, capability, permission, or ability, but they operate in different temporal contexts. 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: ... Jul 24, 2023 ... "Could" is a bit more polite. It implies that the decision to pass the salt is up to you. Can is just fine - it's not rude or anything. Aug 26, 2022 ... The verb can is an auxiliary (helping) verb that is often used alongside other verbs to express ability, possibility, or permission (in the case ... Aug 15, 2023 ... Wearing a life jacket can help limit fatalities as U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) data shows that 89 percent of drowning victims are not ... Mar 31, 2022 ... ... between headaches and migraines. Knowing their key differences could bring you long-awaited relief ... can help determine the cause. Some ... 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 ... Jan 22, 2025 ... We use both can and could to talk about abilities and possibilities. But here are the biggest differences between can and could. Dec 29, 2021 ... "The original test could detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 with very high specificity," – meaning the test does its job very well. A PCR ... How to use modal auxiliary verbs can and could and what is the difference between them. Can: Modal auxiliary verb 'can' is used in the following purposes. 1 ...