GRAMMAR DRILL

COULD AND COULDN’T

NAME:

1 Check (3) the sentences that express a past 3 Circle the correct option to complete
ability. the sentences.

✓ 1 Brenda could read and write when 1  your mom help you yesterday?
she was five.
a Could b Can
2 I can’t sleep at night.
2 Alexis sleep late, it was Friday.
✓ 3 Could you ride a bike when you were
a couldn’t b could
a child?
3 I finish my homework late at night.
4 Birds can fly but we can’t.
a could b couldn’t
5 Julio couldn’t speak English a year ago.
4 T
 hey couldn’t out because
6 We could wear jeans on Fridays.
it was raining.
7 Tomás can help you with your bags.
a go b went
2 Complete the sentences with the verbs from 5 L ast month, Juan couldn’t
the box. because he broke his right leg.
a walk b eat
read   go   wait   run
eat   sleep   hear 6 He run because he was sick.
a couldn’t b could
1 O
 scar could run 200 meters in
30 seconds. 7 Sofía went to the dentist because she
2 M
 att couldn’t go to my party last stand the toothache.
night.
a couldn’t b could
3 C
 ould Gerardo eat something?
He is hungry. 4 Underline the correct option.
4 A
 urelio couldn’t wait for me.
1 Ana could / couldn’t play the guitar in 2010.
I was very late.
hear She learned how to last year.
5 T
 hey could the concert from
behind the stage. 2 Josué could spoke / speak English and Spanish
6 C
 ould you sleep last night? at an early age because his mom is bilingual.
Our neighbors were having a loud party.
3 Luis couldn’t / could go to school last week.
7 R
 enata could read when she
He was sick.
was 4. Her first book was The Three Little Bears.
4 In 1980, people could / couldn’t use wireless
Internet.

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D.R. © Macmillan Publishers, S.A. de C.V., 2020. Only for teaching purposes.
GRAMMAR DRILL
COULD AND COULDN’T

5 René could skate / skated when he was 5 The photographer could take good photos?
younger. Now he’s afraid of breaking a bone. Could the photographer take good photos?

6 Giselle couldn’t / could open the door. She 6 Valeria couldn’t took the exam.
didn’t have the keys. Valeria couldn’t take the exam.

7 Laura didn’t can / couldn’t watch horror films 7 I could not to see the mountain.
when she was a child because she was scared. I could not see the mountain.

5 Complete the sentences with could or couldn’t. 7 Write eight sentences about abilities you
had or didn’t have when you were a child.
1 A
 ri couldn’t paint before she took Use could or couldn’t.
classes.
1  Students’ own answers.
2 R
 odrigo could swim since he was
four. His father taught him.
3  Could Olivia ride a bike two years ago? 2  Students’ own answers.
4 I couldn’t climb trees before and
I still can’t.
3  Students’ own answers.
5 C
 arlos couldn’t surf on his vacation.
The waves weren’t high enough.
couldn’t 4  Students’ own answers.
6 N
 aomi speak to the teacher.
She was too shy.
7 M
 y cat could catch mice when 5  Students’ own answers.
she was younger. Now she prefers to sleep.

6 Circle the mistake in each sentence and rewrite 6  Students’ own answers.
them correctly.

1 He didn’t can start to work. 7  Students’ own answers.

He couldn’t start to work.

2 Karla could to skate on ice. 8  Students’ own answers.

Karla could skate on ice.

3 The team not could win the cup.

The team couldn’t win the cup.

4 The director couldn’t met the new teacher.

The director couldn’t meet the new teacher.

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D.R. © Macmillan Publishers, S.A. de C.V., 2020. Only for teaching purposes.