6.2: Modals of Ability
- Page ID
- 256022
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)
\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)
\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Modals of Ability- Present and Future
We use can, be able to and could to show that someone has (or doesn’t have) an ability to do something. Look at these examples:
|
Present/Future |
Negative |
Past Ability |
Negative |
|
Alan can swim well. |
Jackie cannot play piano. |
Paul could speak Chinese when he was a child. |
Mary couldn’t finish her homework last night. |
|
I can meet you after school. |
We can’t visit Dallas this weekend. |
Jill could walk two weeks after the surgery. |
I couldn’t find the website this morning. |
|
I am able to speak two languages. |
I am not able to speak Arabic. |
After three weeks in Houston, I was able to find my way to work easily. |
I wasn’t able to finish my test yesterday. |
Did you notice that the verbs after “can/could/be able to” are always in the base form?
For example: Alan can swim well (subject + auxiliary verb + base verb + ...)
Do NOT change the modal auxiliary OR the main verb for he/she/it subjects.
In addition, do NOT add “ing” or “ed”.
- Alan can to swim well ➨ wrong!
- Alan can swims well ➨ wrong!
- Alan can swimming well ➨ wrong!
How can we make questions about ability? It’s easy!
- Modal auxiliary + subject + main verb + ... ?
Can she play guitar?
Could you speak English when you were a child?
- BE + subject + able to + main verb + ... ?
Are you able to understand the homework?
Was he able to pass the exam?
Note: We do not need the verbs “do/does/did” when we make questions!
The modal verb “be able to” includes the word “to”; the “to” is not an infinitive.
Complete these sentences about present and future ability using the words in the box.
can be able not able able to can't
|
1. |
She _________ speak four foreign languages. |
|
2. |
The candidate should ________ to speak fluent English. |
|
3. |
They _________ do it before next Thursday. |
|
4. |
He's ___________ run 100 meters in 10 seconds. |
|
5. |
He will _______________ to see you tomorrow afternoon. |
|
6. |
I ______________ do it tomorrow afternoon, if you like. |
|
7. |
We might not _________________ to do that. |
|
8. |
She ________________make it to the wedding. |
|
9. |
She won't ________________ to do it until next week. |
|
10. |
I'm afraid we are_________________ to fulfill your request. |
Look at the sentences in Ex 1a and decide which words or expressions you can use to express the functions above. Put a check in the boxes that apply. There may be more than one answer to each usage
Present and Future Ability |
can |
can't |
able to |
not able to |
|
|
1. |
present positive ability |
||||
|
2. |
present negative ability |
||||
|
3. |
ability after a modal (+ and -) |
||||
|
4. |
ability with a future tense (+ and -) |
||||
|
5. |
a decision made now about the future (+ and -) |
||||
Note - not able to can be expressed in several ways:
- not able to
- unable to
- no longer able to
Summary of the Rules for Ability in the Present and Future
- We use can / can't (cannot) to speak about ability or possibility in the present.
She can speak four foreign languages.
She can't make it to the wedding.
- We can also use be able to / not be able to, but usually prefer can
He's able to run 100 metres in 10 seconds. (He can run ...)
I'm afraid we are not able to fulfill your request. (We can't ...)
- But with future tenses we have to use be able to and not can.
They will be able to come to the meeting this Tuesday.
You will not be able to enroll for the class this semester.
She won't be able to do it until next week.
- Similarly with other modal verbs (eg: should, might), we can't use can but have to use be able to instead.
The candidate should be able to speak fluent English.
We might not be able to do that.
- But we use can (or be able to) when we decide now about something in the future.
I can do it tomorrow afternoon, if you like. (I'll be able to do it ...)
They can't do it before next Thursday. (They won't be able to do it ...)
Modals of Ability: Excerpt from Modals of Ability Possibility and Permission by Wikiwijs licensed under CREATIVE COMMONS a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
Content can be found here: https://maken.wikiwijs.nl/92202/Modals_of_ability__possibility_and_permission?template=simple
Modals plus - talking about ability (can, could, be able to etc.)
Edited for ability level B1
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License.
The content can be found here: https://random-idea-english.blogspot.com/2011/02/modals-plus-talking-about-ability-can.html