Asked by: Alborada Rabaneda
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What is the difference between could not and couldn t?

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Couldn't and could not mean thesame thing. The only difference is that the two-word versioncould not often has the effect of really emphasizing thatnot. If it could not is spoken rather than written, anative speaker would invariably put quite a bit of emphasis onnot.


Simply so, what is the difference between Cannot and could not?

These two spellings [cannot/can not] arelargely interchangeable, but by far the most common is“cannot” and you should probably use it exceptwhen you want to be emphatic: “No, you can notwash the dog in the Maytag.” There's nodifference in meaning between cannot and cannot.

Beside above, what is the difference between should would and could? "Should" is actually the past tense of another ofthese modal verbs, "shall." Used as an auxiliary, "should"expresses a condition, an obligation, futurity, or probability. Use"should" to express an obligation, a necessity, or aprediction; use "would" to express a wish or a customaryaction.

Subsequently, question is, how do you use couldn't in a sentence?

couldn-t Sentence Examples

  1. "I couldn't sleep," she said.
  2. I was so excited that I couldn't sleep, so I got up anddressed.
  3. You couldn't see a thing.
  4. "Yes.
  5. If he has custody, she couldn't get the money.
  6. He's a big horse, but I couldn't make him carry the two of usin that terrain.
  7. Couldn't you wish me in some safer place than Oz.

Could not meaning?

Could is sometimes considered to be the past formof can1, but in this dictionary the two words are dealt withseparately. 1. modal verb. You use could to indicate thatsomeone had the ability to do something. You use could notor couldn't to say that someone was unable to dosomething.

Related Question Answers

Morena Eggebrecht

Professional

What is a synonym for Cannot?

unable. modif. incapable, powerless, weak, incompetent,unskilled, impotent, not able, inept, incapacitated, impuissant,inefficacious, helpless, unfitted, inefficient, unqualified,inadequate, ineffectual, inoperative.

Aray Linnenbrink

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What type of word is Cannot?

Usage note
Cannot is sometimes also spelled can not.The one-word spelling is by far the more common: Interestrates simply cannot continue at their present level. Thecontraction can't is most common in speech and informalwriting. See also can1.

Raimunda Balasanyan

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Why is Cannot one word?

These two spellings [cannot/can not] arelargely interchangeable, but by far the most common is“cannot” and you should probably use it exceptwhen you want to be emphatic: “No, you can not washthe dog in the Maytag.” AskOxford: Both cannot andcan not are acceptable spellings, but the first is much moreusual.

Iraide Maugeri

Explainer

How can I use could?

"Could" is a modal verb used to expresspossibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions andrequests. "Could" is also commonly used in conditionalsentences as the conditional form of "can." Examples: Extreme raincould cause the river to flood the city.

Jessy Gaset

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What does can't even mean?

slang Cannot handle (something). A phrase used (usuallycomically) when one cannot articulate their strong feelings (oftenof frustration) about something or someone. I can't evenwith this show!

Astghik Nido

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Did Not vs do not?

“Didn't” is the contraction of “didnot.” It is the way to say that some action or eventfailed to occur in the past. “Doesn't” is thecontraction of “does not.” Doesn't is used ONLYin present tense, third person singular: “She (he, it)doesn't [do something] (now) . . . .”

Massimiliano Cancho

Pundit

Is Cannot one word or two Grammar Girl?

Summary. So to sum up, “cannot” isthe word you want most of the time. Only use thetwo-word version, “can not,” when“can” and “not” just happen to fall next toeach other in a sentence.

Mugurel Turiel

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Can not or Cannot American English?

People often ask me whether they should writecannot (1 word) or can not (2 words). In BritishEnglish cannot is the normal form. In American Englishboth forms are acceptable but cannot is more common. If theword “not” is part of a set phrase, then youhave no choice but to use the two-word form cannot.

Bianca Bajansk

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What is the past tense of couldn t?

COULD and COULDN'T are the past tenseforms of CAN and CAN'T. We use COULD to mean that we were able todo something in the past. Ex: When she was 1, she couldwalk. We use COULDN'T to mean that we weren't able to dosomething in the past.

Relu Ring

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Can past tense?

They are conjugated as though they were all pasttense, that is, the third person singular does not add -s.Etymologically—that is, with regard to how wordsevolved—could is the past tense of can,would is the past tense of will, should is the pasttense of shall, and might is the past tense ofmay.

Didi Marchesi

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What is the meaning of could ve?

verb. The definition of could've issomething that potentially might have happened if it weren'tfor another alternative. An example of could've isfor a student to say that he had the potential to do his homeworkinstead of choosing to go to the basketball game.

Gitta Reisz

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Could not be better meaning?

couldn't be better. (One's well-being or thestate of something) is perfect, exactly as desired, orbetter than expected. A: "How are you?" B: "Oh, couldn'tbe better!

Wangjun Llamera

Teacher

Can T and can t?

Here is a quick summary: Can't is a contractionof cannot, and it's best suited for informal writing. Informal writing and where contractions are frowned upon, usecannot. It is possible to write can not, but you generallyfind it only as part of some other construction, such as “notonly . . . but also.”

Yimmy Asif

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Can t be happier meaning?

Here what is the exact meaning of " I couldn't beany happier". Thank you in advance. It means that you arethe happiest you can be. Extremelyhappy.

Bogdan Gurges

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What does couldn't agree more mean?

Meaning/Usage: To completely agree withsomeone. Explanation: This is the highest level of agreeingwith someone because they can't agree more than theydo. It is straightforward and very common. "Icouldn't agree with you more, this place isbeautiful."

Conxa Sachsenmaier

Reviewer

Can and could sentence examples?

Can Could with Many Examples
CAN/COULD (AFFIRMATIVE)
PAST SINGLE ACTION, STATIVE VERB She could feel the wind on her face.
PAST SINGLE ACTION, ACTION VERB NOT POSSIBLE!
PRESENT ABILITY He can speak Portuguese fluently.
FUTURE ABILITY OR SKILL NOT POSSIBLE!

Charlie Galena

Reviewer

Is it I could care less or couldn't care less?

English teachers and grammarians will say that "couldcare less" is wrong because it should mean the opposite of"couldn't care less." Logically, if you could careless, it means you do care some. But in informal speechpeople often use "could care less" to mean they don'tcare at all.

Hyun Csanyi

Reviewer

Where do we use would and could?

Just remember that could is used to talk aboutsomething that can happen, would is used to talk aboutsomething that will happen in an imagined situation, and should isused to talk about something that ought to happen or musthappen.

Leocadia Lahuerta

Supporter

Can I vs May I?

But the 'permission' use of can is not in factincorrect in standard English. The only difference between the twoverbs is that one is more polite than the other. In informalcontexts it's perfectly acceptable to use can; in formalsituations it would be better to use may.

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EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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16th March, 2020

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