Could and Couldn't Exercises and Explanation - For Past Ability
On this page, you can undertand the modal verb “could” when talking about past ability. You can practice lots of exercises and download a free printable pdf.
Page Content
When do we use could?
We use could to talk about past ability.
For example, things that we could do in the past, but now we cannot do:
▪️When I was a student, I could swim 3000 metres. However, now I can only swim for 20 or 30 minutes.
The opposite 🔄: Things that we couldn’t do in the past, but now we can do:
▪️When I was a student, I couldn’t speak a foreign language, but now I can!
Could also can be used to talk about possibilty, but the exercises on this page just focus on past ability.
Exercises
25 questions and answers.
1 . Two years ago I _______ speak Spanish, but now I can.
could / couldn’t
✅ couldn’t
2. I ________ buy you any tickets for the music festival because they sold out.
✅ couldn’t
3. When I was a child, I ______ speak Italian very well, but now I have lost my ability.
✅ could
4. Yesterday, I _______ understand why my computer was so slow, but now I realise I need to update my software.
✅ couldn’t
5. In the past, we ______ spend a lot of money on food. However, now my husband is unemployed we have to be very careful with money.
✅ could
6. Mike _______ call you earlier because he didn’t have any reception on his mobile phone.
✅ couldn’t
7. Last week, I _______ think clearly, but now I have a good plan and understand what I need to do.
✅ couldn’t
8. We ________ get into our new rented house because the landlord gave us the wrong key.
✅ couldn’t
9. Two years ago, I ______ jog everyday for several miles, but since my injury I can now only walk a few hundred metres.
✅ could
10. Teacher to student: Yesterday you ______ play this violin piece very well, but now you can’t. What happened?
✅ could
11. I ________ remember his name. It was so embarrassing!
✅ couldn’t
12. 5 years ago, our country _______ donate a lot of money to different charities. However, these days that amount is much less.
✅ could
13. We ______ hear them shouting, but we didn’t know where the sound was coming from.
✅ could
14. Unfortunately, they ________ score enough goals for us to qualify in this year’s football tournament.
✅ couldn’t
15. We ________ find the eggs, so we decided to cook something else.
✅ couldn’t
16. I ______ work 12 hours a day when I was younger, but now I only want to work part-time.
✅ could
17. They ________ find our address on their smartphone’s map, so now they will be late.
✅ couldn’t
18. He ________ understand why they were so rude to him.
✅ couldn’t
19. Harry _________ deliver these parcels because the owner of the house wasn’t in.
✅ couldn’t
20. In the past, they _______ help us, but now they can’t.
✅ could
21. Maggie: Did you find everything at the supermarket?
Johanna: Yes and no. I ______ find the eggs and flour, but I couldn’t find any milk.
✅ could
22. When I was in my twenties, I ________ run 3 or 4 marathons a year. These days, I can only run one marathon a year.
✅ could
23. Before he lost his voice, he _______ sing very well.
✅ could
24. We ________ go skiing this year because it was too expensive.
✅ couldn’t
25. Last year I ________ save money every month, but this year it’s very difficult to do that.
✅ could
