MODAL

VERBS OF
ABILITY
CAN – BE ABLE TO -
COULD
 ABILITY
CAN BE
EXPRESS
ED
USING
MODAL
VERBS
AND
PHRASES.
 HOW TO USE CAN

 Can (Poder) is an auxiliary verb, a modal

auxiliary verb.
 The basic structure for can is:
•Affirmative: Subject + “Can” + Verb
•Negative: Subject + “Can’t”/”Cannot” + Verb
•Interrogative: “Can” + Subject + Verb
 Things to keep in mind:
- Can has no infinitive
- Can has no gerund
- Can does not use auxiliaries
- Can is used with another verb
- The to is not placed in the next verb
- Can can’t be conjugated in the future
EXAMPLE
My name is Michael, I'm a student of data network administration. I can configure a router, but I can't
repair a computer. People often confuse the different branches of technology. I can understand how
Internet networks work, that's my specialty. I find the world of networks and how the world is
connected interesting. I can't imagine the world without the Internet. You can be a sysadmin and
belong to this wonderful world of information technology.

Things to consider:

If you can be disciplined, it will be easy for you.

 
A system administrator is constantly learning, if you like to learn, you can be a great system
administrator.
 
A system administrator can work under pressure. This work is very important for companies. If you
can have patience and a good attitude, it won't be difficult.

Can you be a sysadmin?

HOW TO USE COULD
We use could to talk about past ability, The basic structure for could is:
•Affirmative: Subject + “could” + Verb
•Negative: Subject + “ Couldn´t ”+ Verb
•Interrogative: “Could” + Subject + Verb
•Examples:
• +) He could administer servers on Linux, but he's very undisciplined.
• - ) The computer couldn’t manage services, it has very little capacity.
• ? ) Could he be a great technologist?

HOW TO USE
BE ABLE TO
Be able to (Ser capaz de)  has a
similar meaning
to can (or could in the past)
However, can is mainly used to
express capabilities or aptitudes
acquired with time, while be
able to refers to temporary or
precise abilities or inabilities.
Be able to also allows us to
express can in different tenses
in the past and the future.
We often use be able to in places where it is not
possible to use can. For example:
To be able to with modals verbs
- Should be able to (Debería ser capaz de)
- Must be able to (Deber ser capaz de)
- Would be able to (Podría/Sería capaz de)
- May be able to (Expresa una probabilidad de ser
capaz de hacer algo)
- Might be able to (Al igual que May se usa para
expresar la probabilidad de ser capaz de hacer
algo, la diferencia es que se usa en un contexto
menos probable de que suceda.)
- Could be able to (Podría ser capaz de)
- Have been able to (El verbo have es un verbo
semi-modal, en este caso expresa he podido ser
capaz de) FOTO DE PHYSICISTJEDI / PUBLIC DOMAIN
EXAMPLES
Should be able to: Must be able to: Would be able to:

+) You should be able +) He must be able +) She would be able

to be a sysadmin. to be a sysadmin. to be a sysadmin.

-) You shouldn’t be -) He mustn’t be able -) She wouldn’t be

able to be a sysadmin. to be a system able to be a
administrator. sysadmin.
?) Should you be able
to be a sysadmin? ?) Must he be able to ?)Would she be able
a sysadmin? to be a sysadmin?
 EXAMPLES
May able to: Might be able to: Could be able to:

+) They may be +) SENA students might +) I may be able to

able to be a be able to be a be a sysadmins.
sysadmins. sysadmins.
-) I mayn’t be able
-) They mayn’t be -) SENA students might to be a sysadmins.
able to be a be able to be a
sysadmins. sysadmins. ?) May I be able to
be a sysadmins?
?) May they be able ?) Might SENA students
to be a sysadmins? be able to be a
 EXAMPLES
Have been able to: +) She would have ?) Would you have
been able to program been able to
+) I have been able to in Python. program in
program in Python. Python?
+) He might/may
-) I haven’t been able have been able to ?) Might/may you
to program in Python. program in Python. have been able to
program in
?) Have I been able +) He must have been Python?
to program in Python? able to program in
Python.
BE ABLE TO IN FUTURE TIME
The basic structure for Will is:
•Affirmative: Subject + “Will” + Verb
•Negative: Subject + “ Won’t”+ Verb
•Interrogative: “Will” + Subject + Verb

+) We'll be able to surf the Internet if you do a good job.

-) They won't be able to configure VoIP if they don't know

how to set up routing.

?) Will they be able to set up VoIP on FreePBX?

EXAMPLES FROM THE
FUTURE WITH GOING TO
The basic structure for going to is:
•Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb (to be) + “going to” + Verb
•Negative: Subject + auxiliary verb (to be) + not + “going to” + Verb
•Interrogative: auxiliary verb (to be) + Subject + “going to” + Verb

+ ) I am going to be able to configure

- ) The technologist not going to be able to contain it
? ) Is Mario's computer going to be able to communicate on
the network?
BE ABLE TO CONJUGATION

were able to
THANKS