CAN - COULD - BE ABLE TO
You use CAN to describe an ability in the present.
Annie can swim, but she can't ride a bike.
You can also use BE ABLE TO to describe an ability in the present or future.
(Attention : CAN is used much more frequently than BE ABLE TO in the present tense)
He's able to park a car, but he's not able to drive in traffic yet.
I'll be able to speak French in a couple of months.
You use either COULD or WAS/WERE ABLE TO to describe a general ability in the past.
I could swim when I was 5 years old.
My brother was able to drive cars when he was 12 years old.
You must use WAS/WERE ABLE TO to describe a special achievement or a single event in the past.
Finally, she was able to visit her birthday place.
You can use either COULDN'T or WASN'T/WEREN'T ABLE TO for any negative sentence describing past ability.
My friend couldn't speak Italian.
He wasn't able to speak Italian.
For forms and tenses other than the present or past, you must use BE ABLE TO .
We haven't been able to play tennis for a long time
Use CAN and COULD to say that something is possible, to make guesses and polite requests,
to make suggestions, and to ask for and give permission.
Could we use our dictionaries ?
Can I have five more minutes to answer this question ?
Could you drive me to the hospital, please ?
Maybe we could go to San Francisco.
It could rain tomorrow.
Annie can swim, but she can't ride a bike.
You can also use BE ABLE TO to describe an ability in the present or future.
(Attention : CAN is used much more frequently than BE ABLE TO in the present tense)
He's able to park a car, but he's not able to drive in traffic yet.
I'll be able to speak French in a couple of months.
You use either COULD or WAS/WERE ABLE TO to describe a general ability in the past.
I could swim when I was 5 years old.
My brother was able to drive cars when he was 12 years old.
You must use WAS/WERE ABLE TO to describe a special achievement or a single event in the past.
Finally, she was able to visit her birthday place.
You can use either COULDN'T or WASN'T/WEREN'T ABLE TO for any negative sentence describing past ability.
My friend couldn't speak Italian.
He wasn't able to speak Italian.
For forms and tenses other than the present or past, you must use BE ABLE TO .
We haven't been able to play tennis for a long time
Use CAN and COULD to say that something is possible, to make guesses and polite requests,
to make suggestions, and to ask for and give permission.
Could we use our dictionaries ?
Can I have five more minutes to answer this question ?
Could you drive me to the hospital, please ?
Maybe we could go to San Francisco.
It could rain tomorrow.
COMPLETE THE PARAGRAPHS WITH : CAN / CAN'T / COULD / and COULDN'T /WAS/WERE ABLE TO:
1- For a long time, Alec and Iris ___________ play tennis together. Alex loves it.
Iris has just started taking lessons, but she still _____________ play well.
2 - I heard there was a fire in your building yesterday. Was anyone hurt ?
- No, the firefighters ____________ get everyone out of the building .
3 - My uncle was very clever. He __________ speak 4 languages.
4 - My father wasn't at home when I phoned , but I ______________ contact him later.
5 - A little boy fell into the river but some men ________________ rescue him.
6 - He had forgotten to bring his camera so he ____________ take any photos of the wedding.
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