Grammar

Be Able To

'Be able to' expresses ability and can replace 'can' in tenses and forms where 'can' is impossible, such as the future, perfect, and infinitive. For single past achievements, it often replaces 'could'.

Post

Level B1 Modals

Summary

'Be able to' expresses ability and can replace 'can' in tenses and forms where 'can' is impossible, such as the future, perfect, and infinitive. For single past achievements, it often replaces 'could'.

Structure

be (in any tense) + able to + base verb

Examples

After the course, you'll be able to read the news in French.
I haven't been able to reach her all day.
They were able to escape through the back door.
It's frustrating not to be able to help.

Common mistakes

• Using 'could' for a specific past success: 'I could pass the exam' should be 'I was able to pass'.
• Saying 'will can': use 'will be able to'.

More modals

Can / Could (Ability and Permission) A2

Use 'can' for present ability and informal permission or requests. Use 'could' for past ability and for more polite requests.

Must / Have To (Obligation) B1

Use 'must' and 'have to' to express obligation or necessity. 'Mustn't' means something is forbidden, while 'don't have to' means there is no obligation.

May / Might (Possibility) B1

Use 'may' and 'might' to talk about present or future possibility. 'May' is also used for formal permission.

Would for Past Habits B2

Use 'would' to talk about repeated past actions and habits, similar to 'used to'. Unlike 'used to', 'would' is not normally used for past states.

Would (Polite Requests and Hypotheticals) B1

Use 'would' for polite requests and offers, for hypothetical results (especially in conditionals), and to describe imagined situations.

Can and Can't for Ability A1

Use 'can' to say someone is able to do something and 'can't' for inability. 'Can' is followed by the base form of the verb and stays the same for all subjects.

External links

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