Could is also used to refer to something that you wish to have or do but that is not possible "If only we could be free of this tyrant! Could can also express annoyance or another strong emotion "He could have asked me if I needed help!
Would is a little easier to understand because it is not related to could or can , and its uses are more specific. Would is used to talk about a possible situation that has not happened or that you are imagining "I would quit my job if I won the lottery. Would can also be used to ask polite questions "Would you mind if I had another cup of tea? It has several distinct uses that can and could do not, however: it is used to give opinions "I wouldn't do that if I were you," or "I would say that she is in her 30s.
He always says that! Learner's Dictionary mobile search. Learner's Dictionary. Ask the Editor. See also modals of ability. I could have stayed up late, but I decided to go to bed early. They could have won the race, but they didn't try hard enough. Julie could have bought the book, but she borrowed it from the library instead.
He could have studied harder, but he was too lazy and that's why he failed the exam. I couldn't have arrived any earlier. He couldn't have passed the exam, even if he had studied harder.
It's a really, really difficult exam. See also modals of probability. In this case, we don't know if what we're saying is true or not true. Definition and synonyms of could from the online English dictionary from Macmillan Education. This is the British English definition of could.
View American English definition of could. Change your default dictionary to American English. View the pronunciation for could. Open Dictionary. Other entries for this word. I could eat a horse phrase. I could murder something phrase. Sometimes it is used without a following infinitive: I came as quickly as I could. I could not breathe. If I should find your coat, I will be sure to call you.
Think of should as do ; furthermore, should could be left out of the above sentence, leaving, " If I find your coat, I will be sure to call you. Should you wish to do so, you may have hot tea and biscuits. With an early start, they should be here by noon. Think of should as ought to or probably will. I should like to go home now. I should think that a healthy forest program is essential to any presidential victory. Could Technically, could is the past tense of can, but it is an auxiliary verb with a few uses, not all of which are in the past tense, namely the following:.
In those days, all the people could build houses. Could you have erased the disk? Could I leave now? You could study harder than you do. He knew the sunset could be spectacular. I could be wrong. Could you come over here, please? In conclusion, you could use these three auxiliaries if you would, and you should! Would, Should, Could. Would Technically, would is the past tense of will , but it is an auxiliary verb that has many uses, some of which even express the present tense.
It can be used in the following ways: To ask questions: Would you like some coleslaw? With who , what , when , where , why , how : How would the neighbors react? To make polite requests: I would like more coleslaw, please. To show a different response if the past had been different: I would have helped you if I had known you were stranded. To tone down strong, controversial statements-not recommended in formal essays: I would have to say that you're acting a bit immature.
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