Ability: Can, Could, Be able to Can you do spreadsheets? POINT Circle T (True) or F (False) TF The father wants to know if his daughter has permission to do spreadsheets. CHART CHECK 1 ‘STATEMENTS: CAN/COULD. Circle T (True) or Base Form F (False). ‘Susject Can/Couro*| oF Vers oe ee oem ie can (not) | do spreadsheets now. can and could | | \/He/She/lty/We/YouThey = : as the same for coura (not) | use ‘@ computer last year. hemes “Can and could are modals. They do not have - in the third person singular. YES/NO QUESTIONS: CAN/COULD| SHORT ANSWERS Base Can/Couo | Susject| Form Arrinmarive Necanive can she [do [theme she can she can’t. Yes, No, Could [they [use [one? they could. | | they couldn't WH- QUESTIONS: CAN/COULD Wo Woro | Can/Couto | Sunject | Base Form can she [do spreadsheets? How well e could [they fuse ‘a computer? CHART CHECK 2 ‘STATEMENTS: BE ABLE TO Chrech the correct susecr |e | ame ro | bast Form onswer. ; = Which part of be able to changes for | | He/shelt [is | (not) able to | do spreadsheets different subjects? “weNoamh eNourThe Tbe OT ableto ry [are } 116Ability: Can, Couls, Be able tom 117 CHART CHECK 3 YES/NO QUESTIONS: BE ABLE TO ‘SHORT ANSWERS Check the correct Base answer. Be _| Susyect| Aste ro | Form Arrimmarive| NEGATIVE In questions with be | Tare| you i mee apie to, what comes able to|do | spreadsheets? | | Yes, No, before the subject? ts | she she is she isn't, 1 a form of be Oa form of able to WH- QUESTIONS: BE ABLE TO Wn- Worp | Be | Susject | Asie To | Base FoR are | you How wel able to | do spreadsheets? is | she EXPRESS (©) 25) Complete these sentences with can or be able to. Use one word for each blank. A: ________ she able __ use a computer already? B: Yes, she and she type and do spreadsheets too. Grammar Explanations Examples 1. Use cam or be able toto talk about ability in She cam do computer graphics. the present. 1 She's able to do computer graphics, Usace Nore: In everyday speech, cam is more common than be able to in the present tense. 2. Use either could of was/were able foto talk Sami could read when he was four about ably (out nota specific achievement) in He was able to use a computer too. the past > Be canerutt Use only was/were able foto tak m He was able to win the Math Prize last yeor about a specific achievement ora single event in Nor He-cowkwin-the- Math Prize — the pas. Use either could or was/were able to in = | couldn't win the Math Prize last year. ive sent i = | wasn’t able to do one problem For forms and tenses other than the present orm Jen wants to be able to write programs. past, use be able to. (inintive) = By June she will be able to complete her computer class. (future)118 Unit 27 IDENTIFY # Read part of an article about some talented young business people. Underline the words that express ability ] Asses Tumber of young people have Leibowitz, was able to sell two software | jn slew conte success Web-based progiams when he was fourteen. He made | businesses. One young entrepreneur is Sam $30,000 on the deal and now Jay runs his Roberts. Sam could design Web ‘own Web site. Dan Finley writes pages when he was eight, but he | WEB BUSINESSES | reviews of new software. He | got his break at twelve when a | oe started his business at sixteen. A | witer fired him to design a web \——MDERCHT_| jtime college student, Dan can | site, Sams first business failed because he pay a staff of writers and sill earn $500 a and his partner weren't able to get along. month. Altjough they all make money, all | However, his new business, Webman, is up three started out to have fun at their hobby, | and running. Another young businessman, Jay _not to make a profit. =| COMPLETE « Read each description. Complete it with a name from the article. Jay___ sold software programs at the age of fourteen. didn’t agree with his partner. earns money reviewing software. was able to design a Web page for a writer, COMPLETE « Read these paragraphs. Complete them with can, could, or be able to. Use can or could when possible. Choose between affirmative and negative. 1. Stefan is enjoying his computer class. Two weeks ago, he ___couldn’t_ even. use the mouse, but now he _____ edit his homework. By next week, he do research on the Internet. 2. Eleni misses her family in Greece. She __ visit them for years, but they just got an e-mail account, so now they ______ keep in touch daily. 3.1 understand how to set up a presentation. The software instructions don't help. I think I'l take a professional development course. In a few months maybe T ____ __ make that presentation. 4, Mike and I get along since we started this business. He work alone (he needs people), and |______ work ina group (I have to work alone). [hope we _____ work out our problems soon.Ability: Can, Could, Be adie to w 119 COMPLETE Read this advertisement. Complete it with the appropriate form of can, could, or be able to plus the verbs in parentheses. Use can or could when possible. WILL B. HAPPY” Professional Development Courses Time Management Presentations Career Development _ Teamwork ‘Think about your last presentation: __Were__ you able to prepare on time? torepare) ee your ident) 2 omnis) Will B. Happy® has helped others, and he aa YOU “Before | took Will B. Happy's course, my work was always late because I a schedule. | also had big piles on my desk because I Foon _____— what was important, Now ]__ my time 5 aeciaey & Garage) effectively. Next month, when my workload gets heavy, | it 7. Corsanize) and do the important things first.” Scott Mathis. student “Ididn't use to —_5 in front of groups. Now I cant” Gea —Mary Zhang, sales manager DIT Read this student's journal Find and correct seven mistakes in expressing ability. The first mistake is already corrected. Today in my Will B.Happy. Tearnwork course, | learned about work styles—"Drivers” and to “Enthusiasts.” I'ma Driver, 80 | can make decisions, but fmm not able,listen to other Oo people's ideas. The Enthusiast In our group can communicates wel, but you can't { depend on her, Now Lunderstand what was happening in my business class last year, | when | coulant felt comfortable with my Team. | thought tar They all faked too much and didn't able to work efficiently. could get an A for the course, but it was hard, I can do a lot more alone, but some jobs are too big for that. Our Instructor says that soon the Drivers will able to listen and the Enthusiast could be more dependable.