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Apr 9, 2025 · Learn 8 expert ways to use could in English—past abilities, polite requests, regrets, and more—with real examples and clear practice tips.

Could is one of the English modal verbs. This lesson shows how to use the modal correctly. You can also find exercises to help you practice.

"Could" is a modal verb used to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests. "Could" is also commonly used in conditional sentences as the conditional form of "can."

Could is also used to talk about ability in the present, but it has a special meaning. If you say that someone could do something, you mean that they have the ability to do it, but they don't in fact do it.