How to Use 'Can', 'Could', and 'Be able' to Talk about Ability

How to Use 'Can', 'Could', and 'Be able' to Talk about Ability

CAN

1. Present Ability

- Used to express someone's current ability or skill.

- Example: "I can swim."

2. Permission

- Used to ask for or give permission.

- Example: "Can I use your phone?"

3. Possibility

- Used to state something that might happen.

- Example: "It can rain this afternoon."

COULD
1. Past Ability

- Used to express someone's ability or skill in the past.

- Example: "When I was a child, I could climb trees."

2. Polite Request

- Used to make a request more polite than "can."

- Example: "Could you please pass the salt?"

3. Possibility or Speculation

- Used to state something that might happen in the future or under certain conditions.

- Example: "If we leave now, we could catch the train."

4. Permission in the Past

- Used to express permission given in the past.

- Example: "When I was a teenager, I could stay up late on weekends."

BE ABLE TO

1. General Ability

- Used as an alternative to "can" or "could" to express ability.

- Example: "He is able to speak three languages."

2. Specific Ability in the Past

- Used to express ability in specific past situations, especially if there is an achievement.

- Example: "Despite the traffic, we were able to arrive on time."

3. Future and Other Forms

- Used to emphasize ability in the future or in more complex perfect forms.

- Example: "After the course, I will be able to solve these problems easily."

QUIZ TIME!

Quiz

Toefl Skill 15