Exercises/ Can or could

Exercises

Can or could quiz

Ability, possibility, requests and permission: practise when to use can and when to use could, with business examples.

Quick rules

can / could (ability)

‘Can’ for ability now. ‘Could’ for ability in the past.

Before the update, the system couldn’t handle more than 50 users.

can (general possibility)

Something that is sometimes true.

Negotiations with new suppliers can be difficult.

could (specific possibility)

Something that is possible in a particular situation.

This deal could change the future of the company.

can / could (requests)

‘Could’ is more polite than ‘can’.

Could you send me the figures before Friday?

can / could (permission)

‘Can’ for permission now. ‘Could’ for general permission in the past.

You could use the software for free until last year.

Ability: now and in the past
General or specific possibility?
Requests and permission

1. Ability: now and in the past

What someone or something is able to do.

1When I was younger, I speak fluent German, but I’ve forgotten most of it.

cancould

2Our new software process 10,000 orders an hour.

cancould

3Ten years ago, few small companies afford their own data centre.

cancould

4Sorry, I make the meeting tomorrow – I’m flying to Berlin.

can’tcouldn’t

5Before the update, the system handle more than 50 users at once.

can’tcouldn’t

2. General or specific possibility?

Always sometimes true – or possible in this situation?

1Negotiations with new suppliers be difficult, even for experienced buyers.

cancould

2Take an umbrella to the client lunch – it rain later.

cancould

3This deal change the future of the company.

cancould

4Exchange rates change very quickly.

cancould

5If we leave the office early, we’ll be home by 7.

cancould

3. Requests and permission

How polite do you need to be?

1(To a senior client) you send me the figures before Friday?

CanCould

2There was a time when you use this software for free, but now you have to pay.

cancould

3I think we take our own drinks into the meeting room – nobody has ever complained.

cancould have

4(To a colleague you know well) you pass me that charger?

CanCould have

5Excuse me, you tell me where the conference hall is? (to a stranger)

couldcan’t

Check a section to see your score here.

More practice

Modal verbsPossibilitymust, can’t, might, should Modal verbsPermissioncan, could, may, be allowed to Modal verbsMust or have to?Obligation, past and future forms

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