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The modal auxiliary could is used
in several very different
ways. One happens when
sentences with can are used in
indirect
(reported) speech and the main verb is past.
Examples:
Bill said, "Can you help
me, Carol?" ----->
Bill asked Carol if
she could help him.
Carol replied,
"I can't now, but I can later." ----->
Carol
replied that she couldn't help Bill then
but
added that she could help him later.
Lucy said, "Can you speak Thai,
Dave?" ----->
Lucy asked Dave if he could speak Thai.
Dave replied, "I can understand
it better than
I can speak it. ----->
Dave answered that he could understand Thai
better than he could speak it.
Bobby: "Can
I have some dessert, Mom?" ----->
Bobby
asked his mother if he could have
some dessert.
Bobby's mother
said, "No, you can't, Bobby,
because you
haven't finished your vegetables. ----->
Bobby's mother told him that
he couldn't have
any dessert because
he hadn't finished his vegetables.
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Special
Notes:
| 1. |
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The time for can
is still present or future in the
indirect-speech
sentences above. In the sentences,
can changes
to could "artificially" because
the
main verb is past. |
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| 2. |
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In an indirect-speech speech
sentence, it's possible
not to change the verb
after can if it refers to
something
that is in general time:
Dave said, "I can understand
Thai better than
I can speak it. -----> Dave
said that he can
understand Thai better
than he can speak it.
(The sentence is also correct
with could.)
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| 3. |
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The negative of could in
sentences such as
the sentences above is couldn't (or could not). |
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