GZ12.01 - Ability
Choose a grammar card
A - Can - Present Ability
B - Can’t - Lack of Present Ability
C - Could - General Past Ability
D - Couldn’t - General Past Inability
E - Be Able To - Present Ability
F - Was/Were Able To - Specific Past Success
G - Will Be Able To - Future Ability
H - Managed To - Successful Achievement
I - Have/Has Been Able To - Present Perfect Ability
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.01A - Can - Present Ability
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
We use can to talk about present ability - something a person knows how to do.
[P] + can + [A] (base verb)
My sister can speak three languages.
Can is a modal verb. It stays the same with every subject, and the next verb has no to or -s.
✓ She can speak English.
✗ She cans speak English.
✗ She can to speak English.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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GZ12.01B - Can't - Lack of Present Ability
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use can't when someone does not have an ability now.
[P] + can't + [A] (base verb)
My grandfather can't drive at night.
Can't is the negative of can. We don't use doesn't with can't, and the following verb stays in its base form.
✓ She can't swim.
✗ She doesn't can swim.
✗ She can't to swim.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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GZ12.01C - Could - General Past Ability
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use could for an ability someone had generally in the past.
[P] + could + [A] + past time
My mother could swim when she was five.
Could shows past ability, so swim stays in its base form. For success on one particular occasion, we usually use was/were able to or managed to.
✓ I could read when I was four.
✗ I could readed when I was four.
✗ I could to read when I was four.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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GZ12.01D - Couldn't - General Past Inability
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use couldn't to describe an ability someone did not have in the past.
[P] + couldn't + [A] + past time
I couldn't swim when I was younger.
Couldn't is could not. The verb stays in its base form. Unlike positive could, couldn't can also describe a failed attempt on one occasion.
✓ I couldn't swim when I was six.
✗ I couldn't swam when I was six.
✗ I didn't could swim when I was six.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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GZ12.01E - Be Able To - Present Ability
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use am/is/are able to to describe present ability. It often sounds more formal than can.
[P] + am/is/are + able to + [A]
She is able to work independently.
Choose am with I, is with he/she/it and are with you/we/they. After able to, use the base verb.
✓ I am able to help.
✓ They are able to help.
✗ She are able to help.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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GZ12.01F - Was/Were Able To - Specific Past Success
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use was/were able to for success in a particular past situation.
[P] + was/were + able to + [A]
We were able to escape the building.
Use was with I/he/she/it; were with you/we/they. For one successful event, this is usually better than positive could.
✓ She was able to find her keys.
✓ We were able to escape.
✗ They was able to escape.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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GZ12.01G - Will Be Able To - Future Ability
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use will be able to for an ability or opportunity in the future.
[P] + will be able to + [A]
I'll be able to help tomorrow.
Will is followed by be, not am/is/are. This form is useful because can has no normal future form with will.
✓ She'll be able to drive next year.
✗ She will can drive next year.
✗ She will is able to drive next year.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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GZ12.01H - Managed To - Successful Achievement
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use managed to when someone succeeds, often despite difficulty.
[P] + managed to + [A]
He managed to repair the computer.
Managed to highlights the successful result of a particular attempt. The action after to is the base verb.
✓ We managed to catch the train.
✗ We managed catch the train.
✗ We managed to caught the train.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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GZ12.01I - Have/Has Been Able To - Present Perfect Ability
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use have/has been able to for an ability or successful opportunity connected to the present.
[P] + have/has been able to + [A]
She has been able to find a new job.
Use has with he/she/it and have with I/you/we/they. Can cannot form a present perfect tense: we use have/has been able to.
✓ We've been able to finish.
✗ She have been able to finish.
✗ She has can finish.
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
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