To be able to

 Helen can speak five languages fluently..

 Helen is able to speak five languages fluently. (poco común)
Can you hear me well?
Are you able to hear me well? (poco común)

"Be able to" se emplea más a menudo en combinación con otros

auxiliares.
 You will be able to get tickets to the concert if you arrive at the box office
early.

 Will you be able to come with us?

 The kids have not been able to study much today.

 Ms. Peterson has been able to contact Mr. Hope this morning.

 The police were finally able to solve the mystery.

 Jim was not able to meet Richard yesterday.

 Mom had been able to clean the house before we got home.

 After I had been able to open the box, I discovered that it was empty.

 If Betsy danced every day, she would be able to become a professional

dancer.

 Peter would be able to speak Italian if he lived in Rome for a year.

Was/were able to & Could

 That soccer player was able to score nine goals last season.

 Our team was able to beat yours in the World Cup.

 We were all able to pass the test last week.

 At the conference, the speaker could answer all the questions.
 When Grace was five, she could walk on her hands.
 When David was a boy, he could run very fast.

"could" y "was/were able to".

 The climbers could not/were not able to reach the summit yesterday.
Tom could not/was not able to win the contest last year.
 The children managed to reach the tree top.
 They managed to persuade us to travel around Europe with them.

 How did you manage to get a round trip ticket to New York two days before
Christmas?

exercises

2 Complete the following sentences with the right form of be able to

. 1 I _________________________________________ (not be able to) give you a lesson
tomorrow.
2 The tap was broken, so I _________________________________________ (not be able to)
use it.
3 Tom tried to open the door, but he _______________________________________ (not be
able to) do it.
4 I_______________________________________(not be able to) go down the stairs. Both my
legs are broken.
5 We ___________________________________ (not be able to) send the package tomorrow
morning.

6 They ___________________________________________ (not be able to) visit him since he

was admitted to hospital.'

7 He is so tired that he ____________________________________ (not be able to) take even

one more step.

8 'I've worked on it every day this week,

but____________________________________________ (not be able to) complete the
report.'

3 Complete the sentences with the following words.

leave – feed – help – take – understand – make – go – be

1 If you go by plane, you won't be able to ____________________________________ much
luggage.

2 I would rather ____________________________________ to the cinema alone than with

Bob.

3 Visitors to the zoo are not allowed to ______________________________ the animals

. 4 Lucy might be able to _________________________________ you, if you can't cook dinner

for ten people alone.

5 Nobody is allowed to ______________________________ the classroom until the bell rings.

6 Is it necessary to______________________________ so much noise?

7 I've changed. I'm not the same man I used to ______________________________.

8 If Maria spoke less quickly, people would be able to ______________________________ her
better