Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:

________ he speak French as English last year?

• A. can
• B. may
• C. had to
• D. can't
• E. could

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

could

The correct answer is Option E.

COULD is the past tense of CAN. It means to be able to.

The speaker is asking if HE WAS ABLE TO SPEAK French as English last year.

The sentence is referring to a time in the past.

Thus COULD is the correct answer.

The remaining options are incorrect because:

CAN is the present tense.

MAY expresses possibility,

HAD TO expresses inability.

CAN'T expresses inability.