UNIT 15

COULD /COULD NOT

COULDN’T
PRESENT ABILITY PAST ABILITY

COULD: -e bilirDİ, -a bilirDİ

CAN: -e bilir, -a bilir
COULD read: okuyabilirDİ
Can read: okuyabilir
COULD run: koşabilirDİ
Can run: koşabilir
COULD ride : sürebilirDİ
Can ride : sürebilir
COULD play: oynayabilirDİ
Can play: oynayabilir
COULD speak: konuşabilirDİ
Can speak: konuşabilir
I could swim. Yüzebilirdim.

You could eat. Yiyebilirdin.

He could drink İçebilirdi.

She could run. Koşabilirdi.

We could ride. Sürebilirdik.

They could go. Gidebilirlerdi.

I couldn’t swim. Yüzemezdim.

You couldn’t eat. Yiyemezdin.

He couldn’t drink. İçemezdi.

She couldn’t run. Koşamazdı.

We couldn’t ride. Süremezdik

They couldn’t go. Gidemezlerdi.

 I can ride a bike.

We can speak Turkish.

They can play table tennis.

My mother can make a cake.

Şenay can ride a horse.

P r e s e n t

now

past future
 I am short. I can’t touch the ceiling.
(Boyum kısa. Tavana dokunamam.)

I am fat. I can’t run fast.

(Şişmanım. Hızlı koşamam.)

She is weak. She can’t carry the bag.

(O güçsüz. Çantayı taşıyamaz.)

We don’t know French. We can’t speak French.

(Fransızca bilmiyoruz. Fransızca konuşamayız.)

The problem is difficult. They can’t solve it.

(Problem zor. Problemi çözemezler.)
 I am tall. I can touch the ceiling.

I am thin. I can run fast.

She is strong. She can carry the bag.

We know French. We can speak French.

The problem is easy. They can solve it.

can read: okuyabilir
could read: okuyabilirDİ

I could read when I was four.

can run: koşabilir

could run: koşabilirdi

You could run faster in the past.

can play: oynayabilir

could play: oynayabilirdi

They could play tennis well when they were at school.

 I could read when I was four.

I could read Now, I am 15.

past future
 You could run faster in the past

I could run now

past future
They could play tennis well when they were at school.

They could run now

past future
Can speak: konuşabilir
Could speak: konuşabilirdi

Can’t read: okuyamaz.

Couldn’t read: okuyamazdı

When He was five years old,

He could speak but he couldn’t read and write.
 can ride: sürebilir
could ride: sürebilirdi

When I was four, I couldn’t ride a bicycle, but I can ride a

bicycle now.
can walk: yürüyebilir
could walk: yürüyebilirdi

My niece COULDn’t walk until she was three.

can find: bulabilir
could find: bulabilirdi

I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find my wallet.

 can speak: konuşabilir
could speak: konuşabilirdi

When he went to France, he couldn’t speak French, but

now he can speak French very well.
 couldn’t
When I was a child. I …………………… drive a car.

can could can’t couldn’t

 Kaancouldn’t
………..….. come to our party last Saturday.
He was very busy.

can can’t could couldn’t

 can
A cat …………………… climb trees.

can can’t could couldn’t

 couldn’t
In 1800 nobody ………………… travel into space yet.

can can’t could couldn’t

 can’t
Elephants ………………….. climb trees.

can can’t could couldn’t

 When Fatmanur was a baby, she……………………….sleep all
day long. could

can can’t could couldn’t

 can’t
Horses ………………… sing.

can can’t could couldn’t

 couldn’t
Said………………..drive when he was young,
but now he can drive.

can can’t could couldn’t

 can
Astronauts ……………… fly to the moon these days.

can can’t could couldn’t