How to Use Can, Could and To Be Able To Correctly: A Practical Exercise

Can, could and to be able to are common words in English that can cause confusion for learners. They are all used to talk about ability or possibility, but they have different meanings and uses. In this article, you will learn the grammar rules for can, could and to be able to, and how to practice them with a PDF exercise.

What are can, could and to be able to?

Can, could and to be able to are different types of verbs that have different functions.

Can is a modal auxiliary verb that expresses general ability or possibility in the present tense. For example: I can speak three languages. She can play the piano very well.
Could is also a modal auxiliary verb, but it expresses past ability or possibility. For example: He could run very fast when he was young. They could have won the game if they had played better.
To be able to is not a modal verb, but a phrase that uses the verb be and the adjective able followed by an infinitive. It can express ability or possibility in any tense. For example: He is able to lift heavy weights. She was able to finish the project on time. They will be able to travel next year.

How to use can, could and to be able to?

The basic structure for can and could is:

subject + can/could + main verb (bare infinitive)

The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without to). For example: You can swim. He could read.

The basic structure for to be able to is:

subject + be + able + to + main verb (infinitive with to)

The main verb is always the infinitive with to. For example: She is able to drive. They were able to solve the problem.

Here are some more rules and examples for using can, could and to be able to:

We use can and could to talk about general or specific ability or possibility in the present or past tense. For example: He can play chess very well. (general present ability) She could see a bird in the tree. (specific past possibility)
We use to be able to when we need to use other tenses besides the present or past, such as the future, the perfect, or the continuous. For example: They will be able to visit us next week. (future) She has been able to finish her homework. (present perfect) He was being able to help me with the project. (past continuous)
We also use to be able to when we need to use a modal verb after can or could, such as must, should, or might. For example: You can’t be able to do that. (wrong) You won’t be able to do that. (correct) He could must go now. (wrong) He had to go now. (correct)
We use can and could to make requests or ask for permission in an informal way. For example: Can you pass me the salt, please? Could I borrow your pen for a minute?
We use can and could with verbs of perception, such as see, hear, smell, taste, or feel. For example: I can smell something burning. She could feel his heartbeat.

How to practice can, could and to be able to?

The best way to practice can, could and to be able to is by doing exercises that test your understanding and application of the rules. You can download a PDF exercise that contains 20 sentences with gaps where you have to fill in the correct form of can, could or to be able to. The exercise also has an answer key at the end so you can check your answers.

To download the PDF exercise, click on this link: Can, Could and To Be Able To Exercise.pdf

Conclusion

Can, could and to be able to are important words in English that can help you express ability or possibility in different situations. In this article, you learned the grammar rules for using can, could and to be able to, and how to practice them with a PDF exercise. By doing the exercise, you can improve your understanding and application of these words. You can also review the article whenever you need a refresher on the rules. We hope you found this article helpful and informative.

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