ESL CONNECT | Can, Could and Be Able To

Explanation: ability in the present and past

Use can, could and be able to to talk about ability. The correct form depends on the time and the meaning.

1. Present ability: can

Use can + base verb for general ability now.

Form	Structure	Example
Affirmative	subject + can + base verb	I can swim.
Negative	subject + can’t + base verb	She can’t drive.
Question	Can + subject + base verb?	Can you speak English?

2. Present ability: be able to

Be able to is also possible in the present. It is a little more formal than can.

Can	Be able to
I can speak Spanish.	I am able to speak Spanish.
She can solve the problem.	She is able to solve the problem.
They can come tomorrow.	They are able to come tomorrow.

3. Past general ability: could

Use could + base verb for general ability in the past.

Examples:
When I was five, I could read.
My grandfather could speak French.
She could run very fast when she was younger.

4. Past specific success: was/were able to

Use was/were able to when someone succeeded in doing something in a specific situation.

General past ability	Specific success in the past
When I was young, I could swim.	Yesterday, I was able to swim across the lake.
He could fix computers.	He was able to fix my laptop yesterday.
They could speak to customers.	They were able to solve the customer’s problem.

5. Negative past: couldn’t or wasn’t/weren’t able to

For negative past ability or failure, you can often use couldn’t or wasn’t/weren’t able to.

Examples:
I couldn’t open the door. / I wasn’t able to open the door.
They couldn’t find the address. / They weren’t able to find the address.

6. Be able to in other tenses

Can does not have all tense forms. Use be able to after will, after infinitives, and in the present perfect.

Use	Example
Future	I’ll be able to drive next year.
After want/need	I want to be able to speak fluently.
Present perfect	I haven’t been able to contact her.

Remember:
Now: I can swim.
General past ability: I could swim when I was five.
Specific success in the past: I was able to finish the project yesterday.
Future / other tenses: I’ll be able to drive next year.

Can for present ability

Choose the correct present ability form.

1. I __________ very well.

can swim can to swim am can swim

2. She __________ because she is only sixteen.

doesn’t can drive can’t drive can’t to drive

3. __________ German?

Do you can speak Can you speak Are you can speak

4. We __________ you after school.

can help can helps can to help

Write the sentence

Complete: I / can / speak / English.

Answer: I can speak English.

Be able to in the present

Choose the correct form of be able to.

1. I __________ understand the lesson.

am able to is able to able to

2. She __________ finish the exercise quickly.

are able to is able to can able to

3. They __________ communicate in English.

are able to is able to able

4. __________ come tomorrow?

Do you able to Are you able to Can you able to

Could for general past ability

Use could for general ability in the past.

1. When I was five, I __________.

could read could to read was could read

2. When she was a child, she __________.

didn’t could swim couldn’t swim couldn’t to swim

3. __________ English when you were ten?

Did you could speak Could you speak Were you could speak

4. My grandfather __________ very fast when he was young.

could ran could run could to run

Write the sentence

Complete: When I was young / I / could / swim.

Answer: When I was young, I could swim.

Was/were able to for specific past success

Use was/were able to when someone succeeded in one specific past situation.

1. Yesterday, I __________ the report before 5 p.m.

could finish was able to finish was able finish

2. After two hours, they __________ the problem.

were able to solve could to solve were able solve

3. Finally, she __________ the door.

was able to open could opened was able opening

4. They __________ the address yesterday.

weren’t able to find weren’t able find didn’t could find

Could or was/were able to?

Choose the best form. Think: general past ability or one specific success?

1. My grandmother __________ Italian and French.

could speak was able to speak yesterday could to speak

2. The train was leaving, but I __________ it.

could catch was able to catch was able catch

3. When he was young, he __________ the piano.

could play was able to play once could to play

4. The firefighters __________ the cat from the tree.

were able to rescue could rescued were able rescue

Be able to in other tenses

Use be able to when can is not possible.

1. Next year, I __________ drive.

will can will be able to will able to

2. I want __________ speak English fluently.

to can to be able to can to

3. I __________ contact her this week.

haven’t could haven’t been able to haven’t able to

4. You need to __________ explain your idea clearly.

can be able to able

B1 contrast practice

Choose the best answer.

1. I __________ sleep last night because it was too hot.

couldn’t didn’t can couldn’t to

2. The exam was difficult, but she __________ pass it.

could was able to was able

3. When I lived in Spain, I __________ understand Spanish well.

could was able yesterday could to

4. They tried for hours, but they __________ repair the car.

weren’t able to didn’t could weren’t able

5. After the course, you __________ write better emails.

will can will be able to will able to

Correct the mistake

Correct: I will can drive next year.

Answer: I will be able to drive next year.

Correct: Yesterday, I could finished the project.

Answer: Yesterday, I was able to finish the project.

Mixed practice

Choose the best answer.

1. I __________ use Excel quite well now.

can could will can

2. When she was little, she __________ sing beautifully.

can could could to

3. After many attempts, he __________ unlock the phone.

could unlock was able to was able

4. She wants __________ speak in public confidently.

to can to be able to can to

5. I __________ find my keys this morning.

couldn’t didn’t could couldn’t to

Final writing practice

1. Write one sentence about something you can do now.

2. Write one sentence about something you could do when you were younger.

3. Write one sentence about a specific success in the past.

4. Write one sentence about a future ability.