Grammar: A2 - ⚙️ Verbs in Depth: 🎭 Modals (Introduction) - Lesson 3: Modal "could/couldn't" (Past ability - basic: When I was young, I could...)

Lesson 8: Past Ability (Could)

history

Past Ability

សមត្ថភាពក្នុងអតីតកាល (Could / Couldn't)

"Could" is the past tense of "can". We use it to talk about things we were able to do in the past.

"Could" គឺជាទម្រង់អតីតកាលរបស់ "Can"។ យើងប្រើវាដើម្បីនិយាយអំពីអ្វីមួយដែលយើង "អាច" ធ្វើបានកាលពីមុន។

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check_circle 1. Affirmative (+)

ទម្រង់ស្រប (អាចធ្វើបាន)

I could climb trees.

ខ្ញុំអាចឡើងដើមឈើបាន (កាលពីមុន)។

She could speak Khmer.

នាងអាចនិយាយភាសាខ្មែរបាន។

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cancel 2. Negative (-)

ទម្រង់បដិសេធ (មិនអាចធ្វើបាន)

I couldn't drive a car.

ខ្ញុំមិនអាចបើកឡានបានទេ។

He couldn't swim.

គាត់មិនអាចហែលទឹកបានទេ។

help

help 3. Question (?)

ទម្រង់សំណួរ (សួរពីសមត្ថភាព)

Could you read?

តើអ្នកអាចអានអក្សរបានទេ?

Could they sing?

តើពួកគេអាចច្រៀងបានទេ?

warning The "To" Trap!

Do NOT use "to" after could or couldn't!

(ប្រយ័ត្ន! ក្រោយ "could/couldn't" ត្រូវប្រើកិរិយាសព្ទដើមជានិច្ច ហាមប្រើ "to" ភ្ជាប់ឲ្យសោះ!)

I could to swim. ❌
I could swim. ✅

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Quick Check ⚡

ការត្រួតពិនិត្យរហ័ស

history Past Ability

When I was five, I ___ run very fast.

(កាលខ្ញុំអាយុ ៥ឆ្នាំ ខ្ញុំអាចរត់លឿនណាស់។)

gpp_maybe GRAMMAR TRAP! ❌

I ___ speak English 10 years ago.

(ខ្ញុំមិនអាចនិយាយភាសាអង់គ្លេសទេកាលពី ១០ឆ្នាំមុន។)

pedal_bike Base Verb Rule

Could you ___ a bike?

(តើអ្នកអាចជិះកង់បានទេ?)

help Question Form

___ you swim when you were little?

(តើអ្នកអាចហែលទឹកបានទេកាលនៅតូច?)

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Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

I could... edit_document (សរសេរ ១ប្រយោគអំពីអ្វីដែលអ្នកអាចធ្វើបាន ពេលអ្នកអាយុ ១០ឆ្នាំ។ ឧទាហរណ៍: I could climb trees.)

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Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

I couldn't... do_not_disturb_on (សរសេរ ១ប្រយោគអំពីអ្វីដែលអ្នកមិនអាចធ្វើបាន ពេលអ្នកអាយុ ១០ឆ្នាំ។ ឧទាហរណ៍: I couldn't speak English.)

record_voice_over

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

Ask a friend record_voice_over (សួរមិត្តភក្តិរបស់អ្នកជាភាសាអង់គ្លេស៖ "Could you ride a bike when you were young?")

Video Lesson

មេរៀនជាវីដេអូ

Ask a Question 🙋‍♂️

តើអ្នកមានចម្ងល់មែនទេ? សួរគ្រូនៅទីនេះ!

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Recent Questions

V

Vireak 2 hours ago

Teacher, can we say "did could"? Like "I didn't could swim"?

Reply thumb_up 10

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 1 hour ago

No, Vireak! "Could" is a special word called a modal verb. It doesn't need help from "did". It makes its own negative: "couldn't" (could not). So, "I couldn't swim" is correct! ✨

B

Bopha 5 hours ago

What is the difference between "I didn't run" and "I couldn't run"?

Reply thumb_up 15

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 4 hours ago

Excellent question, Bopha!

"I didn't run" means you *chose* not to run (maybe you walked instead).

"I couldn't run" means you *had no ability* to run (maybe your leg hurt, or you were too tired). It was impossible! 🏃‍♀️❌