A couple of questions concerning the following sentences, please
Dear teachers:
I have a couple of questions concerning the following sentences, please.
Blacky’s teachers also explained to their students what they can [1. shouldn't it be "could", here, in place of "can", since the preceding verb "explained" is in the past tense?] do to keep themselves clean.
One day, as the children were going to start lunch, Lily giraffe pulled out a small bottle from her school bag. [2. Would it be acceptable to say "pulled a small bottle out of her school bag, here?]
She squeezed two drops from [3. Or is saying "out of" more appropriate here?] it and rubbed them into [4. Should "into" not be replaced by "on"/"onto", because they are rubbed on the surface of our hands?] her hands.
Thank you! 
Top answer
Laborious Blacky’s teachers also explained to their students what they can [1. ] do to keep themselves clean. Both 'can' and 'could' are possible and correct.
- Laborious Blacky’s teachers also explained to their students what they can [1.
- ] do to keep themselves clean.
- Both 'can' and 'could' are possible and correct.
- 'could' matches tenses, as you say, but suggests the future indirectly, and 'can' suggests the future directly.
- Either way, the intent is understood to be the same.
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LaboriousBlacky’s teachers also explained to their students what they can [1. shouldn't it be "could", here, in place of "can", since the preceding verb "explained" is in the past tense?] do to keep themselves clean.
Both 'can' and 'could' are possible and correct. 'could' matches tenses, as you say, but suggests the future indirectly, and 'can' suggests t
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