Can - to be able to

Present	Past	Future
Can (can not) am is (not) able to… are	Could (could not) was (not) able to… were	------- will (not) be able to…

Модальный глагол can имеет только формы настоящего и прошедшего времен и выражает следующие значения:

1) возможность, способность, умение совершить действие – могу, умею.

* I can run very fast.

* He can speak French. Can he do sums?

* We can miss the train if we don’t hurry.

2) разрешение - можно

* You can come any time you like.

3) просьба – можно (мне)?

* Can I have a cup of coffee?

* Can I help you?

4) просьба о помощи – можете (вы); не могли бы вы?

* Can you show me the way to the station?

* Could you help me, please?

4) запрещение – нельзя.

* You can’t cross the street here.

После сan инфинитив смыслового глагола употребляется без частицы “ to”!

Оборот to be able to имеет все временные формы и, являясь эквивалентом модального глагола сan, заменяет его в ситуациях будущих и перфектных времён.

После to be able to инфинитив смыслового глагола употребляется с частицей “ to”!

am / is / are able to do something. – может, в состоянии, способен

сделать что-либо (- сейчас)

was / were able to do something. - смог, сумел, был в состоянии сделать

(- раньше)

will be able to do something. - сможет (- в будущем)

has / have been able to do something – может, умеет (- с детства)

(since childhood).

Например:

* He is an honest man. He is not able to do it (не способен).

* Jack was an exсellent tennis player. He could beat anybody (мог выиграть). But once

he had a difficult game against Alf. Alf played very well but in the end Jack was able to

beat him (смог).

* Will I be able to find a job and a good school for my children in Australia? (смогу ли я)

* She is still not married because she has never been able to find the right man (никак не

может).

Запомните: когда мы говорим об однократном действии, которое кто-то смог совершить в прошлом, мы используем managed to do smth или to be able to вместо could do smth.

* I was able to get up early yesterday. - Вчера я смог встать рано.

(однократное действие)

* Fortunately, we managed to catch the last - К счастью, нам удалось успеть

bus home. на последний автобус домой.

(однократное действие)

Для выражения повторяющихся действий в прошлом и в отрицательных предложениях используется could или couldn’t.

* She could read when she was four. - Она могла читать когда ей было четыре года.

(не однократное действие)

* He couldn’t find the ticket office. - Он не смог найти билетную кассу.

(= he didn’t manage it) (отрицательное однократное действие)

Exercise 1. Ask questions as shown in the example:

Example: I can’t do it. (John) -> Can John do it?

1. I can’t come early. (they) _______________________________________

2. Tom can’t help us today. (Mary) _______________________________________

3. My sister can’t cook very well. (his sister) _______________________________________

4. The children can’t swim there. (we) _______________________________________

5. Charles can’t walk with you to the station.

(his elder brother) _______________________________________

6. I can’t sing this song. (your friend) _______________________________________

Exercise 2. Write new sentences using the words in brackets, as shown in the example:

(A) Example: My foot is aching. (walk) -> I can’t walk.

1. I’m very busy now. (go) _____________________________________

2. I must hurry. (stay) _____________________________________

3. What language is he speaking? (understand) _____________________________________

4. Who is over there? (see) _____________________________________

5. Are they reading the news on the radio? (hear) _____________________________________

6. My head is aching. (read) _____________________________________

(B) Example: I can do it now. (yesterday) -> I couldn’t do it yesterday.

1. I can meet you today. (last night) ______________________________________

2. He can come tonight. (yesterday morning) ______________________________________

3. She can work in the garden this afternoon.

(on Friday) ______________________________________

4. We can pay the money this week. (last week) ______________________________________

5. I can go with you now. (an hour ago) ______________________________________

6. His little sister can walk already. (last month) ______________________________________

(C) Example: Don’t ask George to do it. -> He won’t be able to do it.

1. Don’t ask Nelly to go to New York with you. ______________________________________

2. Don’t ask Roger to read to the child. ______________________________________

3. Don’t ask John to dance with you. ______________________________________

4. Don’t ask us to help Mary. ______________________________________

5. Don’t ask me to speak to her. ______________________________________

6. Don’t ask them to pay for us. ______________________________________

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with could, couldn’t or managed to.

1. I __________ speak French really well when I lived in Paris.

2. He ___________ repair his car, but it took him a long time.

3. At last I ___________ make her understand what I wanted.

4. We wanted to go to the opera, but we ___________ get tickets.

5. I ____________ swim across the river, but it was harder than I expected.

6. All three children ___________ ride as well as they could walk.

7. Fortunately, I __________ get her address from her office.

8. I don’t know how the cat ___________ get through the window, but it did.

9. He ___________ already walk when he was ten months old.

10. After the accident she somehow ___________ walk home.