Can, Could, Be able to

Can and could are modal auxiliary verbs. Be able to is NOT an auxiliary verb (it uses
the verb be as a main verb). We include be able to here for convenience.
Can
Can is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use can to:
talk about possibility and ability
make reuests
ask for or !ive permission
Structure of Can
sub"ect # can # main verb
The main verb is al$ays the bare infinitive (infinitive $ithout %to%).
subject auxiliary verb main verb
# & can play tennis.
' (e
cannot
play tennis.
can't
) Can you play tennis)
Notice that:
Can is invariable. There is only one form of can.
The main verb is always the bare infinitive.
The main verb is al$ays the bare infinitive
(infinitive $ithout %to%). We cannot say:
Use of Can
can: Possibility and Ability
We use can to talk about $hat is possible, $hat $e are able or free to do:
*he can drive a car.
+ohn can speak *panish.
& cannot hear you. (& can't hear you.)
Can you hear me)
Normally, $e use can for the present. ,ut it is possible to use can $hen $e make
present decisions about future ability.
-. Can you help me $ith my home$ork) (present)
,. *orry. &.m busy today. ,ut & can help you tomorro$. (future)
can: Requests and Orders
We often use can in a uestion to ask somebody to do somethin!. This is not a real
uestion ' $e do not really $ant to kno$ if the person is able to do somethin!, $e $ant
them to do it/ The use of can in this $ay is informal (mainly bet$een friends and
family):
Can you make a cup of coffee, please.
Can you put the T0 on.
Can you come here a minute.
Can you be uiet/
can: Permission
We sometimes use can to ask or !ive permission for somethin!:
-. Can & smoke in this room)
,. 1ou can't smoke here, but you can smoke in the !arden.
(Note that $e also use could, may, mi!ht for permission. The use of can for permission
is informal.)
Could
Could is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use could to:
talk about past possibility or ability
make reuests
Structure of Could
sub"ect # could # main verb
The main verb is al$ays the bare infinitive (infinitive $ithout %to%).
subject auxiliary verb main verb
# 2y !randmother could s$im.
' *he
could not
$alk.
couldn't
) Could your !randmother s$im)
Notice that:
Could is invariable. There is only one form of could.
The main verb is always the bare infinitive.
The main verb is al$ays the bare infinitive.
We cannot say:
Use of Could
could: Past Possibility or Ability
We use could to talk about $hat $as possible in the past, $hat $e $ere able or free to
do:
& could s$im $hen & $as 3 years old.
2y !randmother could speak seven lan!ua!es.
When $e arrived home, $e could not open the door. (...couldn't open the door.)
Could you understand $hat he $as sayin!)
We use could (positive) and couldn't (ne!ative) for !eneral ability in the past. ,ut $hen
$e talk about one special occasion in the past, $e use be able to (positive) and couldn't
(ne!ative). 4ook at these examples:
Past
General Specific Occasion
#
2y !randmother could speak
*panish.
- man fell into the river yesterday. The police
were able to save him.
'
2y !randmother couldn't
speak *panish.
- man fell into the river yesterday. The police
couldn't save him.
could: Requests
We often use could in a uestion to ask somebody to do somethin!. The use of could in
this $ay is fairly polite (formal):
Could you tell me $here the bank is, please)
Could you send me a catalo!ue, please)
Be able to
-lthou!h $e look at be able to here, it is not a modal verb. &t is simply the verb be plus
an ad"ective (able) follo$ed by the infinitive. We look at be able to here because $e
sometimes use it instead of can and could.
We use be able to:
to talk about ability
Structure of Be able to
The structure of be able to is:
sub"ect # be # able # infinitive
subject
be
main verb
able
adjective infinitive
# & am able to drive.
' *he
is not
able to drive.
isn't
) Are you able to drive)
Notice that be able to is possible in all tenses, for example:
& was able to drive...
& will be able to drive...
& ave been able to drive...
Notice too that be able to has an infinitive form:
& $ould like to be able to speak 5hinese.
Use of Be able to
be able to: ability
We use be able to to express ability.
%-ble% is an ad"ective meanin!: havin! the po$er, skill or means to do somethin!. &f $e
say %& am able to s$im%, it is like sayin! %& can s$im%. We sometimes use %be able to%
instead of %can% or %could% for ability. %,e able to% is possible in all tenses ' but %can% is
possible only in the present and %could% is possible only in the past for ability. &n
addition, %can% and %could% have no infinitive form. *o $e use %be able to% $hen $e
$ant to use other tenses or the infinitive. 4ook at these examples:
& ave been able to s$im since & $as five. (present perfect)
1ou will be able to speak perfect 6n!lish very soon. (future simple)
& $ould like to be able to fly an airplane. (infinitive)
Be able to is not a modal auxiliary verb. We
include it here for convenience, because it is
often used like %can% and %could%, $hich are
modal auxiliary verbs.