Teoria: can, could, be able to

Can, could and will be able to - ability

Can, Could and will be able = Modal verbs

So they are the same for all subjects! But what does that mean?

He can not play tennis now. He could play tennis before. He will be able to play tennis when he gets a new racket.

What is the difference?

WE USE Can, could AND will be able to to talk about the ability that someone has, had or will have to do something.

• He can play football well.
• He could play football when he was younger.
• He will be able to win the League because he is the best.

STRUCTURE

POSITVE

NEGATIVE

SUJETO + CAN NOT + VERBO (INFINITIVE) SUJETO + COULD NOT + VERBO (INFINITIVE) SUJETO + WILL NOT BE ABLE TO + VERBO (INFINITIVE)

SUJETO + CAN + VERBO (INFINITIVE) SUJETO + COULD + VERBO (INFINITIVE) SUJETO + WILL BE ABLE TO + VERB (INFINITIVE)

What are their abilities?Make sentences

Let's practice:

1. ___ you hear the fireworks from your house last night? Can Can't Could 2. Do you think you ___ write that report by Tuesday? I know you’re very busy. couldn't will be able to have been able to 3. I ___ touch my toes. See! could can will be able to

Let's practice:

4. I ___ spend another moment in that restaurant. It was too noisy. have been able to can't couldn't 5. I ___ never seem to get the temperature right. can can't to be able to 6. ___ play professional tennis, you must be extremely fit. Couldn’t Will you be able to To be able to

7. ___ you play an instrument? Couldn't Able to Can 8. I'm afraid I ___ attend the meeting, I’m on business in Japan. can won’t be able to will be able to 9. ___ you have brought it to me at work? Will be able to Couldn't Cannot 10. They ___ save the men from the sinking ship. were able to could to was able to

Underline the correct words to complete the sentences. 1 My mother can / couldn’t / can’t swim when she was a child, but now she can / could / couldn’t swim five kilometres. 2 A Can / Can’t / Could you play tennis when you were five? B No, I can’t / couldn’t / could. 3 A Can / Can’t / Couldn’t you speak Spanish? B No, not now. I can / can’t / could speak it when I lived in Mexico, but not any more. 4 When I started cycling, I can’t / couldn’t / can cycle very far, but now I could / can / can’t cycle ten kilometres without stopping. 5 He could / can’t / can dance all night when he was a young man, but not these days.

Complete the text with can, can’t, could or couldn’t.In my family we love playing sport. I (1) …………… play badminton well and my sister (2) …………… ski well. When we were children we (3) …………… both play football very well, but we’re both a bit too slow now. The only sport I (4) …………… do is swimming. I didn’t learn to swim. My sister did and she (5) …………… swim very fast – 50 metres in about 40 seconds. We also tried to learn musical instruments. I studied the guitar, but I (6) …………… play well at all. I was always too busy playing sport.

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