Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Pgina 1 de 5
Search
To search, type and hit enter
http://www.englishgrammar.org/difference-3/
06/04/2014
Pgina 2 de 5
As you can see in all of these sentences, we were talking about general ability. Things that we can
or we could do at any time in the present or in the past.
To talk about things that we managed to do on specific occasions in the past, we cannot use could.
Instead, we use was/were able to. The verb managed, succeeded (ining) are also possible in
this case.
I was able to get some really good bargains in the sale. (NOT I could get some really good
bargains in the sale.)
After climbing for several hours, we managed to get to the top of the mountain. OR After
climbing for several hours, we were able to get to the top of the mountain. (NOT we
could get to the top of the mountain.)
Both could and be able to can be used to say that we were not capable of doing something on a
specific occasion.
In spite of climbing for hours, we couldnt get to the top of the mountain. OR In spite of
climbing for hours, we werent able to get to the top of the mountain.
Like
149
Tweet
14
18
Share
859
11 comentarios
Aade un comentario
Mejores comentarios
A new post (Difference between can and be able to) has been
published.
Do you like it?
Traducir
+3
Responder
JENNIFER MAM
HOW CAN WE GET A COMBINED LOT OF THE POSTS AT
http://www.englishgrammar.org/difference-3/
06/04/2014
http://www.englishgrammar.org/difference-3/
Pgina 3 de 5
06/04/2014
Pgina 4 de 5
Topics
Adjectives
Adverbs
Business Writing
Commas
Conjunctions
Creative Writing
Essay Writing
Exercises
Learning
Lessons
Nouns
Prepositions
Pronouns
Proofreading
Punctuation
Spelling
Style Guide
Teaching
Terms
Verbs
Words
Writing
http://www.englishgrammar.org/difference-3/
06/04/2014
Pgina 5 de 5
English Grammar
You like this.
Twitter:
Follow @GrammarUpdates
Google Plus:
and subscribe to our
2.870
newsfeed
Latest Posts
Includes Grammar
Stay posted (It's free)
Guide (PDF)
http://www.englishgrammar.org/difference-3/
06/04/2014