Ways to talk about ability

Ways to talk about ability

There are lots of "Modal Verbs" like:

-Must

-Might

-Have to

We use them together with main verbs, to add meaning to what we say.

The modals of ability are:

COULD

CAN and CAN'T

BE ABLE TO

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MANAGE TO(isn't a modal verb)

-We use "Be Able To" just like can. But it's more formal. We use it to talk about abilities.But we often use it in places where it is not possible to use can.

-We use was/ were able to when speaking about something someone succeeded in doing on one particular occasion.

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We often use "Manage To" with a verb for ability if something is very difficult to do or if something is very successful.

-We use can and can't to talk about someone’s skill or general abilities.

-We use can to talk about the ability to do something at a given time in the present or the future

Generally we use can and can't in spoken English rather than be able to as it is shorter and less formal.

Octavio Daniel Rodriguez Gonzalez

-We use could to talk about generally about a skill or ability in the past.

-We use:

could + have + past participle to say that someone had the ability/opportunity to do something, but did not do it.

We can use CAN and COULD with the senses:

-See

-Hear

-Smell

-Feel

-Taste

For perfect and future tenses we use "BE ABLE TO"

COULDN'T

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Wasn't / Weren't ABLE

So in the negative couldn't and wasn't or weren't able to

are used for BOTH speaking in general and when speaking about one particular occasion.

EXAMPLES:

-Humans can only live without water for three to five days

-She can swim like a fish. Or They can't sing very well, can they?

-You can make a lot of money if you work hard.

(This is referring to the future but we use can)

-We can’t see anything(referring to the present)

-People in Asia could write before people in Europe

-I could have danced all night [but I didn't]

EXAMPLES:

EXAMPLES:

EXAMPLES:

-I'm free this evening, I might be able to go to the party with you.

-Mum didn't have any money on her but fortunately she was able to pay by credit car

-After climbing for six hours, they were able to reach the top of the mountain

-Peter wasn't able to swim or couldn't swim until he was 18 years old.(This is talking about a general ability)

-I couldn’t or wasn't able to do all the questions in the exam (This is referring to one particular occasion)