Can vs. Could – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are in a formal setting, such as a classroom with your professor or a meeting with your boss. You didn’t hear or understand something important, and you need to ask them to repeat it. Read the situations carefully and choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete your polite request.
1 “Excuse me, Mr. Smith. I didn’t hear that clearly. ______ repeat that last sentence, please?”
(A) Can you
(B) Could you
(C) Do you could
(D) Could you to
2 “I am sorry, Professor, I missed the homework assignment. ______ say it again?”
(A) Could you
(B) Could I
(C) Can you
(D) Are you could
3 “Boss, the internet connection is very bad today. ______ speak a little louder, please?”
(A) Can you
(B) Do you can
(C) Could you to
(D) Could you
4 “Excuse me, Ms. Davis. I am a bit confused. ______ explain the second grammar rule one more time?”
(A) Could she
(B) Can you to
(C) Could you
(D) Do you could
5 “I am taking notes, but you are speaking very fast. ______ slow down a bit, sir?”
(A) Can you
(B) Could you to
(C) Could you
(D) Are you could
6 “Pardon me, Director. I didn’t catch the client’s name. ______ spell it for me?”
(A) Could to
(B) Can you
(C) Do you could
(D) Could you
7 “I completely missed that date, Professor. ______ tell us when the final essay is due?”
(A) Could you
(B) Can you
(C) Could you to
(D) Do you can
8 “Manager: Did everyone understand the new schedule?”
“You: I’m sorry, I didn’t. ______ explain the Friday shifts again, please?”
(A) Can you to
(B) Could you
(C) Do you can
(D) Are you could
9 “I am sorry to interrupt, Mr. CEO. ______ show the previous slide on the screen again?”
(A) Could you
(B) Can you
(C) Could to
(D) Can
10 “Excuse me, Dr. Brown. My audio cut out for a minute. ______ summarize the main point?”
(A) Can you
(B) Could you to
(C) Could you
(D) Do you can
11 “I didn’t hear the exact time for tomorrow’s meeting. ______ confirm it for me, Mr. Lee?”
(A) Could you
(B) Can you
(C) Are you could
(D) Could you to
12 “I am still confused about this math formula. ______ give the class another example, please?”
(A) Can you
(B) Could to
(C) Do you could
(D) Could you
13 “Sorry, the traffic outside is very loud and we can’t hear you. ______ close the window, Professor?”
(A) Could you to
(B) Can you
(C) Could you
(D) Do you can
14 “Boss, I didn’t quite understand the new holiday policy. ______ clarify paragraph three?”
(A) Could you
(B) Can you
(C) Could you to
(D) Are you could
15 “I am sorry, my phone was ringing. ______ say that number once more, please?”
(A) Can you
(B) Could you
(C) Could to
(D) Do you could
16 “Excuse me, Mr. President. ______ provide a few more details about the budget cut?”
(A) Could you
(B) Can you
(C) Could you to
(D) Do you can
17 “I don’t know how to pronounce that new vocabulary word. ______ say it again for me, please?”
(A) Can you to
(B) Do you could
(C) Are you could
(D) Could you
18 “I’m sorry, I am a bit lost. ______ go back to the first step of the instructions, sir?”
(A) Could you
(B) Can you
(C) Could to
(D) Can
19 “To be polite to your manager, you should always say: ‘______ send me the file, please?’ instead of ‘Send me the file!'”
(A) Could you
(B) Can you
(C) Could you to
(D) Do you can
20 “Thank you for the wonderful presentation, Ms. Clark. ______ email us a copy of the slides later?”
(A) Can you
(B) Could you to
(C) Could you
(D) Are you could
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Key: (B) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Could you…?” is the standard, formal way to make a polite request to a superior (like Mr. Smith).
- Meaning Trap (A): “Can you” is grammatically correct, but it is too informal and casual for a boss or teacher. It can sound demanding or slightly disrespectful in a formal setting.
- Structural Errors (C & D): “Do you could” and “Could you to” are grammatically invalid.
2 Key: (A) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: A highly polite request to a professor.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Could I” means you want permission to say it yourself, but you want the professor to say it.
- Meaning Trap (C): “Can you” is too informal.
- Structural Error (D): Invalid grammar.
3 Key: (D) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Softens the request so you don’t sound like you are ordering your boss to speak louder.
- Meaning Trap (A): “Can you” sounds too direct/casual.
- Structural Errors (B & C): Invalid grammar.
4 Key: (C) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite request to Ms. Davis.
- Meaning Trap (A): “Could she” talks about a third person, but you are speaking directly to Ms. Davis (“you”).
- Structural Error (B): Invalid grammar.
- Structural Error (D): Invalid grammar.
5 Key: (C) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Respectfully asking a superior (“sir”) to change their behavior (slowing down).
- Meaning Trap (A): “Can you” is too direct.
- Structural Errors (B & D): Invalid grammar.
6 Key: (D) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite request to a Director.
- Structural Error (A): Missing the subject “you”.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” is too informal.
- Structural Error (C): Invalid grammar.
7 Key: (A) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Could you…?” shows respect to the Professor.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” is for friends.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid grammar.
8 Key: (B) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite request to the Manager.
- Structural Error (A): “Can you to” is invalid.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid grammar.
9 Key: (A) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: When speaking to a CEO, absolute politeness is required. “Could you” is perfect.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” is far too casual for a CEO.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid structures.
10 Key: (C) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite request to Dr. Brown.
- Meaning Trap (A): “Can you” is too informal.
- Structural Errors (B & D): Invalid grammar.
11 Key: (A) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Respectful request for clarification.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” is too informal.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid grammar.
12 Key: (D) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: A polite request to a teacher in front of the class.
- Meaning Trap (A): “Can you” is too informal.
- Structural Errors (B & C): Invalid grammar.
13 Key: (C) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Asking a professor to do a physical action (closing the window) requires high politeness.
- Structural Error (A): “Could you to” is invalid.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” sounds like an order.
- Structural Error (D): Invalid grammar.
14 Key: (A) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite request to the Boss.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” is too direct.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid grammar.
15 Key: (B) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Asking someone to repeat themselves because you were distracted requires a soft, polite tone.
- Meaning Trap (A): “Can you” is too casual.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid grammar.
16 Key: (A) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Speaking to a President requires the highest level of formality.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” is highly inappropriate here.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid grammar.
17 Key: (D) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: A polite request for help with pronunciation.
- Structural Errors (A, B, & C): All have invalid grammar structures (using “to”, “do”, or “are” with modals).
18 Key: (A) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite request to a superior (“sir”).
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” is too informal.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid grammar.
19 Key: (A) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Directly states the rule of office etiquette: use “Could you” with managers.
- Meaning Trap (B): “Can you” is not as polite.
- Structural Errors (C & D): Invalid grammar.
20 Key: (C) Could you
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite request to a professional speaker (Ms. Clark).
- Meaning Trap (A): “Can you” is too informal.
- Structural Errors (B & D): Invalid grammar.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Polite Requests (Could you…?):
- When you need someone to do something for you (like repeating a sentence, explaining a rule, or sending an email), we use “Could you…?”
- This is the absolute best choice when speaking to a boss, a teacher, a client, or anyone in a formal setting. It softens your sentence so it doesn’t sound like a strict command.
- Example: “Excuse me, could you repeat that?”
- Why not “Can you”?
- “Can you…?” is also used for requests, but it is Informal.
- You use “Can you” with your friends, family, or close coworkers (e.g., “Hey, can you pass the salt?”).
- If you say “Can you repeat that?” to your boss, it is not grammatically wrong, but it sounds too casual, direct, and slightly disrespectful in an office or classroom.
- The Grammar Rules:
- Never put to after Could. (Say: Could you explain?, NOT Could you to explain?).
- Never use Do / Does / Are to make a question with Could. (Say: Could you?, NOT Do you could?).