Anonymous  +  451738 Mon, 10 Dec 07 05:23 PM   Am I right about these?: Can you cook? (I’m asking if you are good at cooking, if you know how to cook) Could you please help me to dust off the counter?(I’m politely asking for someone’s help) Can and could work pretty much the same way; could is a little more formal and polite, but there really isn’t much difference Would you do something for me? (is a request) May I? (you ask  permission for something) May I ask you why you didn’t tell them the truth? "Could you" do something? is the same as asking if you are able to do it. "Would you" is a request. thanks Anonymous

	Cool Breeze  +  451781 Mon, 10 Dec 07 09:40 PM After having a quick look at your examples, I think you are right. However: "Could you do" something is the same as asking if you were able to do it. And you are usually not referring to one incident but an ability: Could you swim when you were five years old? But: Were you able to get in last night even though you had lost your key? CB Cool Breeze Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006 Senior Member 3,968 "I hope you'll all live to be 150 years old - and the last voice you hear is mine!" Frank Sinatra on stage in Oslo, Norway, 28 September 1991