Bělíková Zuzana The Modal Verb Could and its Equivalents in Translation

3.7
 
Conditional Clauses 
According to Alexander (1988, 275), Could can be put to all three kinds of conditional 
clauses: 
- real conditionals: 
81) If it's fine tomorrow, we could go out.
 
 
(Alexander 1988, 275) 
 
- unreal conditionals: 
82) If he were here, he could help us.
 
 
 
(Alexander 1988, 278) 
83) If he had been here, he could have told us.
 
 
(Alexander 1988, 281) 
 
The difference between the sentences 52 and 53 is that the example in 52 can possibly 
happen but the sentence in 53 expresses unrealized past possibility (Alexander 1988, 280). 
3.8
 
Hypothetical Could 
Could used for such a meaning does not express the past time. Could makes the sentence 
less probable (Schibsbye 1970, 81). 
84) It could be true.
 
 
 
 
 
(Schibsbye 1970, 81) 
There are two kinds of hypothetical could which express either root or epistemic modality. 
“Hypothetical could of ability: the root modal, could 'be able to', is used to express
the present ability to perform a future action. It implies the condition 'if I decide to' and is 
translated 'would be able to'.” (Cook 1978) 

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Philosophical Faculty, Palacký University Olomouc 
30 
85) I could go with you again. 
 
 
= I would be able to (if I so decided) 
(Cook 1978) 
“Hypothetical could of possibility: the epistemic modal, could 'be possible', is used to 
express the present possibility of a future event. It implies 'if circumstances permit' and is 
translated 'is possible … will'.” (Cook 1978) 
86) It could happen again. 
 
 
= It is possible that it will happen.
(Cook 1978)