We couldn't leave the farm.

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Jesusengland

#514936 Sat, 17 May 08 05:51 PM

Hello.

What express "couldn't" in this sentence? Ability? Possibility?...
- We couldn't leave the farm.
Thanks.

Jesusengland

Joined on Wed, Jan 9 2008

Spain

Junior Member (76)

Ant_222

#514997 Sat, 17 May 08 09:47 PM

Hello.

To me it sounds like an expression of ability. To express a possibility I'd say: "We could stay at the farm".

Ant_222

Joined on Sun, May 21 2006

Podolsk, Russia

Contributing Member (1,439)

Expressions

on the farm
leave
at the farm
Leave

couldn't vs. couldn't have
leave letter
in / on / at the farm
Can I say "We will leave on next Monday...

Couldn't do it / wouldn't be able to do it
Help me
leave for
Cell Phone Voice Mail : couldn't able to...

Huevos

#514998 Sat, 17 May 08 09:54 PM

Jesusengland
We couldn't leave the farm.

There's no context to know, eg, because we liked it too much, because their was no one to look after the animals, because I had a broken leg, because we had been locked in so we couldn't escape, because the car had no fuel, because we were snowed in.

Huevos

Joined on Tue, Mar 25 2008

Spain

Full Member (222)

British Native