Quote:
Originally Posted by riverkid  MikeNewYork: Can you use "I could jump five feet" as a past tense description of "I can jump five feet"?
Rewboss: I can jump five feet. [jumps]
Rewboss: *See, I could jump five feet.*
Yes, but that is not a very good example of "could" for past tense. A better example is:
Good day to you, Mike.
Not 'yes', Mike, the answer is "No, you can't. Even in your new example the reference is not to a specific situation but to a general condition. 'could' refuses to be used as a specific reference past tense because of its tenseless nature.
Last year I could run three miles. Now I can run five miles.
In those sentences, "could" is past tense and past time; "can" is present tense and present time.
'could', in this sentence, describes the modal meaning of past general ability and it can jump into the present in a heartbeat.
Last year I could run three miles. Now I could run five miles if I wanted to.
You're still confusing the semantic connection between 'can' and 'could' with a syntactic one that isn't there. How do we know this? Because 'could' still can't be used to refer to a single instance; for that we ENLs switch to 'was able'.
On December 10, 2005, I could run three miles in a race with my brother.*
On December 10, 2005, I was able to run three miles in a race with my brother.
The modal 'would' also describes a past general condition/habit but it too can't be used to describe a singular situation and with these two, 'will/would' the semantic connection is much weaker than with 'can/could'.
We just can't make that connection with these two that is there for 'can/could' Why? Modal meaning.
I will visit London next week.
*I would visit London last week.*
Move to 'may/might' and 'shall/should' and the connection becomes even more tenuous. Why? Again, modal meaning, nothing to do with tense.
I may visit London next week.
*I might visit London last week.*
I shall visit London next week.
*I should visit London last week.*
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I'm not confused at all. You keep redefining "tense" to suit your "theory" about tenseless modals.
Could is the past tense of can. It does not always refer to past time, but it can be used to do so. It is a "form" -- and that "form" is called the past tense.
I am not going to respond to all of your examples, because the one I gave you is perfectly serviceable.
Last year I could only run three miles. Now, I can run five miles.
The first is in the past; the second is in the present.
One cannot say "Last year, I can only run three miles." That is because it requires a past tense verb.
