UNIT 26 Can, could and (be) able to ‘We use ean to say that something is possible or that somebody has the ability to do something, We use can + infinitive (ean do / ean see etc): © We can see the lake ftom our bedroom window. © Can you speak any foreign languages? © Tean come and see you tomorrow if you like. ‘The negative is can’t (= cannor): @'Pm afraid I can’t come to the party on Friday. (Be) able to... is possible instead of ean, but ean is more usual: ® Are you able to speak any forcign languages? But can has only two forms, can (presen) and could (pasé}. So sometimes it is necessary to use {be} able to... . Compare: © Tcan’t seep, but Lhaven't been able to sleep recently. (can has no present perfect) © Tom can come tomorrow. but ‘Tom might be able co come tomorrow. (can has no infinitive) Could and was able to... Sometimes could is the past of ean, We use could especially with: see hear smell taste feel remember understand © When we went into the house, we could smell burning. © She spoke in a very low voice, but I could understand what she said. ‘We also use could to say that somebody had the general ability or permission to do something: © My grandfather could speak five languages. @ We were completely free. We could do what we wanted. (= we were allowed to do...) We use could for general ability. But if we are talking about what happened in a particular situation, we use wasiwere able to... or managed to... (1ot could) @ "The fire spread through the building quickly but everybody was able to escape, or ...everybody managed to escape. {bu not ‘could escape’) © They didn’c want to come with us at first but we managed to persuade them. or ..we were able to persuade them, (but not ‘could persuade") Compare: @ Jack was an excellent tennis player. He could beat anybody. (= he had the general ability to beat anybody) but © Jack and Alf had a game of tennis yesterday. Alf played very well but in the end Jack managed to beat him. or ...was able to beat him. (= he managed to beat him in this particular game) The negative couldn't (could nor} is possible in all situations: My grandfather couldn't swim. © We tried hard but we couldn't persuade them to come with us. © Alf played well but he couldn’t beat Jack. CCoule (do) and could have (done) > Mustardean't » EEE] canoula you.uw (ERCISES 26 plete the sentences using ean or (be) able to. Use can if possible; George has travelled a lot. He ...¢an. speak four languages. Uhaven't ..been able to... sleep very well recently, Sandra... drive but she hasa’t got a car. can’t understand Martin. I've never. Lused to Tean’t see you on Friday but I Ask Catherine about your problem. She might otherwise use (be} able to. understand him, stand on my head bat Lean’t do it now. “» meet you on Saturday morning, help you, rite sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets, (something you used to be able to do) ..1 use to, be able to sing well (something you used to be able to do} 1 used vs {something you would like to be able to do} Pe {something you have never been able to do) ve Complete the sentences with can ! can't could / couldn't + one of these verbs: ome cat hear run sleep wai Pim afraid {can’t come...r0 your party next week Whea Tim was 16, he was a fast runner, He ev 100 metres in 11 seconds 3 ‘Are you in a hurey? ‘No, Pve got plenty of time. I 4 vas feeling sick yesterday. T anything. © Can you speak up a bie? I you very well, 6 ‘You look tired.” *Yes, 1 last night.” Complete the answers to the questions with washwere able to. 4 a: Did everybody escape from the fire? &: Yes, Although the fice spread quickly, everybody wae able-to escape, 2 A: Did you have difficulty finding Ann’s house? ¢. % Not really, Ann had given us good directions and we 3 Did you finish your work this afternoon? bk Yes. There was nobody to diseurb me, s0. 4 a: Did the thief gec away? & Yes. No one realised what was happening and the thief Complete the sentences using could, couldn't or was/were able to. 1 My grandfather was a very clover man, He._.¢aul.. speae five languages. 2 Looked everywhere for the book but I..ceuldn't.. find it 3 They didn’t want to come with us at first but we .wete abla. be. persnadle them, 4 Laura had hurt her leg and walk very well $ Sue wasn’t at home when I phoned but 1 ‘contact her at her office 6 Tlooked very carefully and 1 so see 2 figure in the distance, 7 Twanted 0 buy some tomatoes. The first shop I went t0 didn’t have any but 1 : nm Bet SOME in the neXt shop. 8 My grandmother loved music. She 9 A gicl fell into the river bur fortunately we 10 Thad forgotten to bring my camera so I - play the piano very well von « rescue her. ~ take aay photographs, 53