Video thumbnail for Modal Verb COULD: 'Could' as the Past Tense of 'Can' (English Grammar in 45 Seconds)

Modal Verb COULD: 'Could' as the Past Tense of 'Can' (English Grammar in 45 Seconds)

Dec 6, 2025
Get the complete guide to Can, Could, May, & Might: https://worldenglishblog.com/can-could-may-might-must/ In this quick English grammar lesson, we focus on the rule where the modal verb could functions as the past tense of can (though only in specific contexts!). We cover how to form simple sentences expressing ability in the past. This video is part of a series covering the key uses of all four essential modal verbs: can, could, may, and might. Check out the full article on our site for a detailed comparison of could vs. was/were able to and many more example sentences. 📚 Continue Your Learning: The Complete Guide to Modal Verbs (Can, Could, May, Might): https://worldenglishblog.com/can-could-may-might-must/ More Quick English Grammar Lessons: https://worldenglishblog.com/category/grammar/ could past tense of can, could past ability, modal verb could, past tense grammar, can could may might, english grammar lesson, learn english quickly, esl grammar, could meaning, english language

View Video Transcript