CAN / BE ABLE TO

puede ser capaz de

1. ABILITY

He can speak two foreign languages

fluently.
He is able to speak two foreign
languages fluently.
My son doesnt attend school yet, but he
can / is able to read and write already.

1. ABILITY (negative sentences)

we use cant and am/is/are not able to.

He can run very long distances, but he cant
run very fast.
He is able to run very long distances, but he
isnt able to run very fast.

I can speak English, but I cant speak French.

I am able to speak English, but I am not able
to speak French.

2. POSSIBILITY

I will finish my homework in an hour, so I can

help you then.
I am very busy now, so I cant help you.
Overexposure to the suns rays can lead to
skin cancer.
Drinks in restaurants can be very expensive.

3. PERMISSION

You can leave your purchases here until

you finish your shopping.
Because tomorrow is holiday, you can
stay up late tonight.
Those who have finished answering the
questions can leave the classroom.

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CAN AND BE ABLE TO

can
could
be able to was/were able to
I could run very fast when I was a child.
I was able to run very fast when I was a
child.
Some students in my previous class could
/were able to speak English almost fluently,
but they werent so good at grammar.

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CAN AND BE ABLE TO

COULD is used in ability and permission

meaning in the past.
Mozart could play the piano when he was
only four. (ability)
My grandfather was very strong. He could
lift enormous boxes on his own. (ability)
It was raining heavily. We could go out only
when it had stopped raining. (permission)

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CAN AND BE ABLE TO

WAS/WERE ABLE TO is also used in

ability and permission meaning in the
past. However, we only use WAS/WERE
ABLE TO in the meaning of manage to
do sth in the past.

PAST FORM OF
CAN AND BE ABLE TO

He was a good swimmer when he was a

child.
He could/was able to swim faster than all
the other children. (ability)
I had a good voice when I was younger.
I could /was able to sing very well,
especially folk song. (ability)

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CAN AND BE ABLE TO

When their maths teacher didnt come, the students

were able to / were allowed to leave school earlier.
(permission)

One specific event !!!

The maths exam was very difficult yesterday, but I

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

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CAN AND BE ABLE TO

When I was a child, I could / was able

to run very fast. I could/ was able to
beat anyone who raced with me. (ability)
Once, I raced with a school friend of
mine, She was also a fast runner. It was
a hard race for me, but I was able to
beat her in the end. (one specific)

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CAN AND BE ABLE TO

In negative sentences, we can use both COULD and

WAS/WERE ABLE TO in three meanings ( ability,
permission and one specific event). COULD is used more
frequently.
En frases negativas, podemos utilizar tanto podra y WAS /
pudieron en tres significados (habilidad, permiso y un evento
especfico). PODRA se utiliza con mayor frecuencia.

I couldnt / wasnt able to use a computer just three months ago,

but now I can.
The students didnt want to have a test that day, but they
couldnt / werent able to persuade the teacher to cancel it.

EXERCISE

Use COULD to express ability and permission and WAS/WERE

ABLE TO to express to overcome a difficult situation
Uso podra expresar "la capacidad y el permiso" y fue / fueron
capaces de expresar "para superar una situacin difcil
1.

He ___ swim very long distances when he was a teenager,

but after years of heavy smoking, he no longer can.

2.

We had been warned that our flight might be delayed this

morning, but the pilot ___ take off despite heavy fog.

3.

Because she ___sing better than anyone, she was asked to

do a solo at the graduation ball.

4.

Some terrorists telephoned the police to warn that they

had planted a bomb in the local shopping centre. Luckily,
the police ___ evacuate the area before it exploded.

5.

We stayed at a beautiful seaside town for our summer

holiday, and on a clear day from our hotel room, we ___
see a lot of fishing boats on the horizon.

6.

Although they had locked themselves out of their

apartment, they ___ get in through window.

7.

My old flat was behind the football stadium, and on

match days, we ___ hear the cheers of the crowd.

8.

We used to live in the mountains, so in winter, we

___ go skiing, whenever we liked.

9.

I m glad we ___ persuade the teacher to put

tomorrows exam off till next Monday. Now, we will
have plenty of time to revise.