FILE 4A - ABILITY AND POSSIBILITY

1.- CAN OR BE ABLE TO?

• You use the modal verb CAN / CAN’T to express ability, possibility or permission.
• It has a past tense or conditional: COULD / COULDN’T
• But it has no present perfect or past perfect forms nor does it have an infinitive or –ing form
• The present form can be used with future meaning.
• For the missing forms use BE ABLE TO
1.1.- CAN
“Can” is a modal or defective verb. This means that this verb do not have all the forms to form all the tenses. We can use
“can” in the following tenses:
• Present form: He can speak Japanese.
• Present with future meaning: Tom can’t come tonight. He is ill.
• Past: could Bob could play the violin when he was 5.
• Conditional: could
• REMEMBER: The negative form, not contracted, is CANNOT
1.2.- BE ABLE TO + INFINITIVE
For the rest of tenses we have to use BE ABLE TO + INFINITIVE. We have to conjugate BE.
• Present Perfect: Luke has been able to swim since he was three.
• Future: You’ll be able to speak better in a few months.
• Infinitive: I’d like to be able to ski.
• Gerund: I love being able to stay in bed late on Sunday morning.
• We can use “be able to” if we want to sound more formal in the present or past: Fortunately, I am able to accept
your invitation. My colleagues weren’t able to come to yesterday’s meeting.
2.- THINGS TO REMEMBER.
1. In Spanish we use the verb “saber” and “poder” for speaking about ability and possibility. In English we use
“can” for both.
Can you swim? > ¿Sabes nadar?
Can you mend this watch for me? > ¿Puedes repararme este reloj?
2. Don’t confuse can and may:
Can you come back this afternoon? May you come...?
She may come back this afternoon – I’m not sure. She can come...
3. To ask permission, use can I / we or may I / we? May is used in more formal contexts.
Hi Rob! Can I ask you a quick question?
I’m sorry to interrupt, Lord Jenkins. May I ask a question?
4. Remember not to put “to” after can or could.
3.- TYPICAL MISTAKES.
1. Trying to use CAN where you should use BE ABLE TO
e.g.: I want to can speak English well.
e.g.: I won’t can come to your party on Saturday.
2. Leaving out TO
e.g.: I won’t be able help you.
4.- PRONUNCIATION NOTES
1. CAN and COULD are normally UNSTRESSED in positive (+) and interrogative (?) sentences when they are
pronounced // and //: I can // swim.
2. In negative (-) sentences CAN’T and COULDN’T are stressed and are pronounced // and //: I can’t
// swim.
IMPORTANT
3. Do not stress CAN in positive sentences. If you say “I can do it” stressing “can”, a native speaker will probably
understand “I can’t do it”. [REMEMBER the words that should be stressed to give rhythm to a sentence]

Juan José López Moro | jjlm@usal.es