Can be able to

CAN / BE ABLE TOCAN / BE ABLE TO

1. ABILITY1. ABILITY He He can speakcan speak two foreign languages two foreign languages

fluently. fluently.

He He is able tois able to speak two foreign speak two foreign languages fluently.languages fluently.

My son doesn’t attend school yet, but My son doesn’t attend school yet, but he he cancan / / isis able to able to read and write read and write already.already.

1. ABILITY (negative 1. ABILITY (negative sentences)sentences) we use we use ““cancan’’tt ”” and and ““am/is/are not able to.am/is/are not able to.

He He can runcan run very long distances, but he very long distances, but he cancan’’t t runrun very fast. very fast.

He He is able to runis able to run very long distances, but he very long distances, but he isnisn’’t able tot able to run very fast. run very fast.

I I can speakcan speak English, but I English, but I cancan’’t speakt speak French. French. I I am able to speakam able to speak English, but I English, but I am not able am not able

to speakto speak French. French.

2. POSSIBILITY2. POSSIBILITY I will finish my homework in an hour, so I I will finish my homework in an hour, so I can can

helphelp you then. you then.

I am very busy now, so I I am very busy now, so I cancan’’t helpt help you. you.

Overexposure to the sunOverexposure to the sun’’s rays s rays can leadcan lead to to skin cancer.skin cancer.

Drinks in restaurants Drinks in restaurants can becan be very expensive. very expensive.

3. PERMISSION3. PERMISSION You You can leavecan leave your purchases here your purchases here

until you finish your shopping.until you finish your shopping.

Because tomorrow is holiday, you Because tomorrow is holiday, you can can stay upstay up late tonight. late tonight.

Those who have finished answering Those who have finished answering the questions the questions can leavecan leave the classroom. the classroom.

PAST FORM OF PAST FORM OF ““CANCAN”” AND AND ““BE ABLE TOBE ABLE TO””

can can couldcould be able to be able to was/were able towas/were able to

I I could runcould run very fast when I was a child. very fast when I was a child. I I was able towas able to run very fast when I was a run very fast when I was a

child. child. Some students in my previous class Some students in my previous class

could could //were able towere able to speak English almost speak English almost fluently, but they werenfluently, but they weren’’t so good at t so good at grammar. grammar.


COULDCOULD”” is used in ability and is used in ability and permission meaning in the past. permission meaning in the past.

Mozart Mozart could playcould play the piano when he was the piano when he was only four. (ability)only four. (ability)

My grandfather was very strong. He My grandfather was very strong. He could could liftlift enormous boxes on his own. (ability) enormous boxes on his own. (ability)

It was raining heavily. We It was raining heavily. We could go outcould go out only only when it had stopped raining. (permission)when it had stopped raining. (permission)


““WAS/WERE ABLE TOWAS/WERE ABLE TO”” is also used in is also used in ability and permission meaning in the ability and permission meaning in the past. However, we only use past. However, we only use ““WAS/WERE ABLE TOWAS/WERE ABLE TO”” in the meaning in the meaning of of ““manage to do sthmanage to do sth”” in the past. in the past.


He was a good swimmer when he was He was a good swimmer when he was a child. a child.

He He could/was able tocould/was able to swim faster than swim faster than all the other children. (ability)all the other children. (ability)

I had a good voice when I was younger.I had a good voice when I was younger. I I could /was able tocould /was able to sing very well, sing very well,

especially folk song. (ability)especially folk song. (ability)


When their maths teacher didnWhen their maths teacher didn’’t come, the t come, the students students were able towere able to / / were allowed to leavewere allowed to leave school earlier. (permission)school earlier. (permission)

One specific event !!!One specific event !!!

The maths exam was very difficult yesterday, but The maths exam was very difficult yesterday, but I I was able to getwas able to get a high grade, anyway. (managed a high grade, anyway. (managed to get a high grade)to get a high grade)

Last month, there was a huge fire in our street. Last month, there was a huge fire in our street. Luckily, the fire brigade came just in time to Luckily, the fire brigade came just in time to estinguish it, so everyone estinguish it, so everyone was able to escapewas able to escape unhurt. (managed to escape unhurt)unhurt. (managed to escape unhurt)


When I was a child, I When I was a child, I couldcould / / was able to was able to runrun very fast. I very fast. I couldcould/ / was able to beatwas able to beat anyone who raced with me. (ability)anyone who raced with me. (ability)

Once, I raced with a school friend of Once, I raced with a school friend of mine, She was also a fast runner. It was mine, She was also a fast runner. It was a hard race for me, but I a hard race for me, but I was able to was able to beatbeat her in the end. (one specific) her in the end. (one specific)

PAST FORM OFPAST FORM OF““CANCAN”” AND AND ““BE ABLE TOBE ABLE TO””

In negative sentences, we can use both In negative sentences, we can use both COULD and WAS/WERE ABLE TO in three COULD and WAS/WERE ABLE TO in three meanings ( ability, permission and one meanings ( ability, permission and one specific event). COULD is used more specific event). COULD is used more frequently.frequently.

I I couldncouldn’’tt / / wasnwasn’’t able to uset able to use a computer just three a computer just three months ago, but now I can.months ago, but now I can.

The students didnThe students didn’’t want to have a test that day, t want to have a test that day, but they but they couldncouldn’’tt / / werenweren’’t able to persuadet able to persuade the the teacher to cancel it. teacher to cancel it.

EXERCISEEXERCISEUse COULD to express Use COULD to express ““ability and permissionability and permission”” and and

WAS/WERE ABLE TO to express WAS/WERE ABLE TO to express ““to overcome a difficult to overcome a difficult situationsituation””

1.1. He ___ swim very long distances when he was a He ___ swim very long distances when he was a teenager, but after years of heavy smoking, he no longer teenager, but after years of heavy smoking, he no longer can.can.

2.2. We had been warned that our flight might be delayed We had been warned that our flight might be delayed this morning, but the pilot ___ take off despite heavy fog.this morning, but the pilot ___ take off despite heavy fog.

3.3. Because she ___sing better than anyone, she was asked Because she ___sing better than anyone, she was asked to do a solo at the graduation ball. to do a solo at the graduation ball.

4.4. Some terrorists telephoned the police to warn that they Some terrorists telephoned the police to warn that they had planted a bomb in the local shopping centre. had planted a bomb in the local shopping centre. Luckily, the police ___ evacuate the area before it Luckily, the police ___ evacuate the area before it exploded.exploded.

5.5. We stayed at a beautiful seaside town for our summer We stayed at a beautiful seaside town for our summer holiday, and on a clear day from our hotel room, we ___ holiday, and on a clear day from our hotel room, we ___ see a lot of fishing –boats on the horizon.see a lot of fishing –boats on the horizon.

EXERCISEEXERCISEUse COULD to express Use COULD to express ““ability and permissionability and permission”” and and

WAS/WERE ABLE TO to express WAS/WERE ABLE TO to express ““to overcome a difficult to overcome a difficult situationsituation””

6.6. Although they had locked themselves out of their Although they had locked themselves out of their apartment, they ___ get in through window. apartment, they ___ get in through window.

7.7. My old flat was behind the football stadium, and on My old flat was behind the football stadium, and on match days, we ___ hear the cheers of the crowd.match days, we ___ hear the cheers of the crowd.

8.8. We used to live in the mountains, so in winter, we We used to live in the mountains, so in winter, we ___ go skiing, whenever we liked. ___ go skiing, whenever we liked.

9.9. II ’’ m glad we ___ persuade the teacher to put m glad we ___ persuade the teacher to put tomorrowtomorrow’’s exam off till next Monday. Now, we will s exam off till next Monday. Now, we will have plenty of time to revise. have plenty of time to revise.

Can be able to

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