Can you or could you?

It all depends on the time you are writing about.

Can

Can is used to talk about abilities in the present. It is used to make a positive or negative statement, or ask a question:

I can swim.

I can't ski.

Can you play tennis?

Can you swim?

Positive

can + infinitive (to form) of the verb

She can play the piano.

We can visit you on Saturday.

They can afford a new car.

Negative

cannot (can't) + infinitive (to form) of the verb

He can't play hockey.

They can't visit me on Saturday.

We can't afford to go on holiday.

Question

Can + I/we/you/they/he/she/it + infinitive (to form) of the verb

Can you help me to cook dinner, please?

Can we go to the cinema tonight?

Can she play the piano?

Can you take the day off work tomorrow so we can go shopping?

I'm sorry, I can't. It's going to be very busy at work.

Can Sam help me do some work in the garden later?

I'll ask, but I'm sure he can. He doesn't have any other plans.

Can we go out for dinner this weekend?

That sounds like a good idea. I'm sure we can find time to do that.

Could

Could talks about our ability to do something in the past:

When I was young I could do a handstand, but I can't do a handstand anymore.

I couldn't understand Dutch when I was younger, but I can understand it now.

Could you run really fast when you were a child?

Could uses the same grammatical form as can:

Positive

could+infinitive (to form) of the verb

Negative

could not (couldn't)+infinitive (to form) of the verb

Question

Could + I/we/you/they/he/she/it + infinitive (to form) of the verb

Did you use to play a musical instrument when you were younger?

Yes, I could play the violin.

I could play the piano really well when I was young, but I stopped practicing and now I can't play very well at all.

Can and could are also used to ask for things:

• Can you open the door for me please?

• Can you water the plants whilst I'm on holiday please?

• Could you swim fast when you were younger?

• Could you walk when you were one?

Add 'please' on the end to make your request polite.

Could or was able to?

Could is used to talk about a general ability in the past:

My grandfather could speak five languages.

To talk about a specific situation in the past we use 'was able to' instead of could.

My grandma could play tennis very well. - general ability

She was able to win the club championship three years in a row! - specific situation

I was able to find a dress for the wedding when I went shopping.

She was able to finish all of her homework and still go out with her friends last night.

He was able to play the whole football match, even though he injured his leg in the first half.

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