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Std Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Can we use "could" to make questions instead of [was/were able to]/[Did mange to]?

Can we use "Could" to make questions instead of [Was/Were able to]/[Did mange to]?

e.g.: Instead [Were you able to speack to her?/Did you manage to speack to her?] can we say "Could you speak to her?"
  

Top answer

Could, in the context you refer to, is used to refer to a possibilty in general and when the reference is to a specific case I think be able sounds more correct. These examples are in line with what I have mentioned here: Could you teach him English while he was in London? Were you able to meet him yesterday?

— Vsuresh

  • Could, in the context you refer to, is used to refer to a possibilty in general and when the reference is to a specific case I think be able sounds more correct.
  • These examples are in line with what I have mentioned here: Could you teach him English while he was in London?
  • Were you able to meet him yesterday?
  • Could you swim when you were sixteen?
  • Were you able to swim last Friday?
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1 Answers
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Could, in the context you refer to, is used to refer to a possibilty in general and when the reference is to a specific case I think be able sounds more correct.

These examples are in line with what I have mentioned here:

Could you teach him English while he was in London?

Were you able to meet him yesterday?

Could you swim when you were six
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