Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 26 · B1

can, could and (be) able to

Use can for ability, possibility and permission, (be) able to wherever can has no form to offer, and could or was able to for the past, depending on whether you mean a general ability or one particular success.

Start the lesson

15Steps · about 27 minutes

In this lesson

can: possible, allowed, ableA1 screen of questions
(be) able to: where can runs out of formsB3 screens of questions
could as the past of canC2 screens of questions
could or was able to?D3 screens of questions

Point A of 4

can: possible, allowed, able

can covers three jobs: saying something is possible, saying it is allowed, and saying someone has the ability. It is followed by the bare infinitive: can do, can hear, can be.

The negative is can't (= cannot). Written in full, cannot is a single word, which is a small mercy.

  • You can see the castle from our kitchen window.
  • "I've left my umbrella at home." "You can borrow mine."
  • Can you play any instruments?
  • I can give you a lift to the station if you like.
  • The word 'round' can be a noun, a verb or an adjective.
  • I'm sorry, I can't come to the quiz on Thursday.

Point A · Extra practice

Put in can or can't.

  1. You see the sea from our kitchen window.

  2. "I've forgotten my pen." "You borrow mine."

  3. I hear you. The music's too loud.

Point B of 4

(be) able to: where can runs out of forms

is able to says the same as can, but in the present can is far more common.

can only has two forms: can (present) and could (past). There is no infinitive, no -ing form and no participle. So after will, might, must, should, used to, and in the present perfect, you have to switch to (be) able to.

can (be) able to
I can't concentrate. I haven't been able to concentrate all week.
Nadia can help us tomorrow. Nadia might be able to help us tomorrow.
Ollie can drive a lorry. Drivers for this job must be able to drive a lorry.
  • We're able to park right outside the house.
  • I haven't been able to get hold of the landlord since Monday.
  • You'll be able to see the fireworks from the bridge.
  • I'd love to be able to speak Welsh.

Point B · Exercise 26.1 · part 1 of 2

Complete the sentences using can or (be) able to. Where can is not possible, use (be) able to.

  1. Example

    Priya grew up in Montreal. She can speak French and English.

    AnswerPriya grew up in Montreal. She can speak French and English.

  2. Example

    My back has been bad. I haven't been able to sit down comfortably all week.

    AnswerMy back has been bad. I haven't been able to sit down comfortably all week.

  3. Dev swim, but he hates getting his hair wet.

  4. I used to run a half-marathon, but these days I struggle with a 5K.

  5. Gran's handwriting is a mystery to me. I've never read it.

  6. I can't make it on Tuesday, but I come on Wednesday.

Point B · Exercise 26.1 · part 2 of 2

Complete the sentences using can or (be) able to. Where can is not possible, use (be) able to.

  1. Take the car to Mr Okafor at the garage. He might fix it.

  2. Be careful up on the moors in winter. The weather change very quickly.

  3. Cerys has lived in Bilbao for ten years, so she should speak Spanish.

Point B · Exercise 26.2

Write sentences about yourself, using the ideas in brackets.

  1. Example

    (an ability you had once but have lost) I used ...

    I used to be able to do the splits.

    Example answerI used to be able to do the splits.

  2. (another ability you had once but have lost) I used ...

  3. (an ability you wish you had) I'd ...

  4. (something you have never managed to do) I've ...

Point C of 4

could as the past of can

Sometimes could is the past of can. We use it especially with these verbs:

see, hear, smell, taste, feel, remember, understand

We also use could to say that somebody had a general ability in the past, or was allowed to do something.

  • Our cottage was on the cliff. We could hear the sea all night.
  • The moment I opened the fridge, I could smell the fish.
  • I was in the back row and couldn't see the stage properly.
  • My great-aunt could recite every poem she learned at school.
  • At my old job we could wear what we liked. (= we were allowed to)

Point C · Exercise 26.3 · part 1 of 2

Complete the sentences with can, can't, could or couldn't and one of these verbs.

Use these

believecomehearrunsleepwait

  1. Example

    That's the day of my sister's wedding, so sadly I can't come to your barbecue.

    AnswerThat's the day of my sister's wedding, so sadly I can't come to your barbecue.

  2. At school, my dad faster than anyone else in his year.

  3. "Shall I come back later?" "No, it's fine. I . I'm in no rush."

  4. I'm shattered this morning. The neighbours' dog barked all night and I .

  5. Could you turn the radio up a bit? I it from over here.

Point C · Exercise 26.3 · part 2 of 2

Complete the sentences with can, can't, could or couldn't and one of these verbs.

Use these

believecomehearrunsleepwait

  1. When they told me I'd won the raffle, I it.

Point D of 4

could or was able to?

could describes a general ability, and goes with see, hear and the other verbs in C.

When someone pulled something off on one particular occasion, could is wrong. Use was/were able to or managed to instead.

General ability (could) One specific success (was able to / managed to)
Kieran was a superb darts player. He could beat anybody in the pub. Kieran and Steve played on Friday. Steve played well, but Kieran managed to beat him.

couldn't has no such limit: it works for general and specific situations alike.

  • The flood came up fast, but everyone was able to get out. (not could get out)
  • I'd lost the address, but I managed to find the house in the end. (not could find)
  • My grandad couldn't ride a bike.
  • I rang the surgery all morning, but I couldn't get through.
  • Steve played well, but he couldn't beat Kieran.

Point D · Exercise 26.4

Complete the answers to the questions with was/were able to ...

  1. Example

    A: Did everybody get off the train? B: Yes. It stopped just outside the station, and everybody was able to get off.

    AnswerDid everybody get off the train? Yes. It stopped just outside the station, and everybody was able to get off.

  2. A: Did you finish the report last night? B: Yes. The house was quiet, so I .

  3. A: Did you fix the boiler? B: Yes, we did. It took us three hours, but we .

  4. A: Did the dog get out of the garden? B: Yes. Somebody left the gate open and the dog .

Point D · Exercise 26.5 · part 1 of 2

Complete the sentences using could, couldn't or managed to.

  1. Example

    Auntie Val was very musical. She could play the violin and the cello.

    AnswerAuntie Val was very musical. She could play the violin and the cello.

  2. Example

    I searched the whole house for my keys, but I couldn't find them.

    AnswerI searched the whole house for my keys, but I couldn't find them.

  3. Example

    The kids didn't want to go for a walk, but we managed to get them out of the house in the end.

    AnswerThe kids didn't want to go for a walk, but we managed to get them out of the house in the end.

  4. Owen had sprained his ankle and climb the stairs.

  5. The chip pan caught fire, but luckily I put it out before it spread.

  6. The people upstairs had wooden floors, and we hear every step they took.

  7. The climb up Snowdon was exhausting, but we reach the top.

Point D · Exercise 26.5 · part 2 of 2

Complete the sentences using could, couldn't or managed to.

  1. My uncle was a gifted artist. He draw anything you asked him to.

  2. We wanted to see the play, but we find a babysitter.

  3. A sheep got stuck in a ditch, but two walkers lift it out. It's absolutely fine now.

Lesson 26 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: could (do) and could have (done)Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. can: possible, allowed, able–Not checkedB. (be) able to: where can runs out of forms–Not checkedC. could as the past of can–Not checkedD. could or was able to?–Not checked