2875 modal verbs ability

can
Can you speak German?
She can’t play the violin.
Can you help me with this translation?
be able to
Are you able to solve Chemistry problems?
(Good for you!)
! Can is more common than ‘be able to’.
Could (a general past ability in the past)
I could talk when I was 13 months old.
We can also use was/were able to with this
meaning.
I was able to talk when I was 13 months old.
! When we want to say that somebody did
something on a particular occasion, we use only

was/were able to (not could).
Although it was freezing cold, he was able to
swim back to the shore.
! In this meaning, we can also use managed
to/succeeded in (…ing). They are preferable
when it was something difficult to do.
! Exception - we can use could with verbs of
perception (see, hear, smell, taste, feel) and
thinking
(undrstand, remember, etc) to talk about
particular
situations.
I could hear a strange noise under my bed
yesterday night.
- we use could not (couldn’t) for both general

ability and particular situations.
He couldn’t dance.He tried hard, but couldn’t

Modal
verbs
Ability

4) could have (+ past participle)
We can use this construction to say that
someone had the ability/opportunity to do
something in the
past, but did not do it.
You could have come to my party, why didn’t
you?
5) with infinitives, -ing forms or participles,
we
Can only use be able to (not can).
She wants to be able to do that, but she simply
can’t do it.
I will soon be able to play the piano better than
you.
My grandson enjoys being able to do these
small things.
Use can, could or be able to:
My uncle _________ speak four foreign
languages.
It was extremely cold yesterday, but we
_____________
to skate for 2 hours.
People ____________ enter this area without

a special permit.
You ____________ to ski next month, there
will be plenty of snow then.
You ____________ be a progressive person if
you hold such views.
My cousin boasted that he _____________ to
count for a very long time.
____________ to please her, knowing she is