COULD, WAS ABLE TO, MANAGED TO

COULD - General ability

We use could to talk about general abilities in the past.

He could speak fluent French when he was 5.

I could read before I started school.

Could - poda, pude (Se refiere a una aptitud o capacidad general que exista en el pasado pero que
ya no existe ms.)

When Grace was five, she could walk on her hands.

Cuando Grace tena cinco aos, poda caminar con las manos.
When David was a boy, he could run very fast.
Cuando David era un nio, poda correr muy rpido.

Was able to - pude (Indica una capacidad especfica para realizar un acto que existi en el pasado
en un momento determinado.)

That soccer player was able to score nine goals last season.
Ese jugador de ftbol pudo marcar nueve goles la temporada pasada.
We were all able to pass the test last week.
Todos pudimos aprobar el examen la semana pasada.

To manage to + infinitive - lograr, poder (no es un auxiliar modal)

The children managed to reach the tree top.

Los nios lograron subir a la copa del rbol.
They managed to persuade us to travel around Europe with them.
Lograron convencernos para que viajemos con ellos por Europa.

MANAGED TO
Utilizamos el verbo MANAGED TO (me arregl o ingeni para) cuando queremos expresar que pudimos
hacer frente a una situacin difcil y salir airosos de ella. Ejemplos:

It was very icy, but I managed to keep the car on the road.
Estaba muy resbaladizo pero me arregl para mantener el automvil sobre la carretera.

Diana didn't want to go to Russia, but Tony managed to persuade her.

Diana no quera ir a Rusia pero Tony se ingeni para persuadirla.

Utilizamos tanto WAS ABLE TO (pude, logr) como MANAGED TO (me arregl para, me ingeni para)
cuando estamos hablando de algo que sucedi en una situacin particular o para referirnos a un logro
importante que implic gran esfuerzo o habilidad de nuestra parte.
 PAST CONTINUOUS

USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past

Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually
a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.

Examples:

I was watching TV when she called. When the phone rang, she was writing a
letter.

USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption

In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past.
However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

Examples:

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my
At midnight, we were still driving through desk at work.
the desert.
USE 3 Parallel Actions

When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions
were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

Examples:

I was studying while he was making dinner.

While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
Were you listening while he was talking?

USE 4 Atmosphere

In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past.

Example:

When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the
boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a
secretary and waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad service.
 USE 5 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"

The Past Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or
shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression "used to" but with negative
emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."

Examples:

She was always coming to class late.

He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
I didn't like them because they were always complaining.

SPANISH - Past Simple Continuous

What was happening? - Qu estuvo/estaba pasando?
I was working - Estuve/estaba trabajando

Grace was taking a shower when the phone rang.

Grace estaba duchndose cuando son el telfono.
While we were walking down the street, we saw Mrs. Pierce.
Mientras estaban caminando por la calle, vieron a la Sra. Pierce.
The baby was crying while her mother was preparing breakfast.
El beb estaba llorando mientras su mam estaba preparando el desayuno.
The employee was not doing his job when his boss arrived.
El empleado no estaba haciendo su trabajo cuando lleg su jefe.
They were not driving carefully when they had the accident.
Ellos no estaban manejando con cuidado cuando tuvieron el accidente.
What was Henry doing at midday?
Qu estaba haciendo Henry al medioda?
Were your friends playing in the park when it began to drizzle?
Tus amigos estaban jugando en el parque cuando comenz a lloviznar?
 PAST PERFECT

El Pasado Perfecto en el idioma ingls es un tiempo verbal que se utiliza para referirnos a una accin que
tuvo lugar en un momento anterior a otra accin, aunque ambas hayan sucedido en
el pasado estableciendo un orden entre ellas, por ejemplo:

The film had finished when she arrived at the cinema.

La pelcula haba terminado cuando ella lleg al cine.
(Primera accin: la pelcula haba terminado
Segunda accin: ella lleg al cine)
Sarah had prepared dinner when her husband got home.
Sarah haba preparado la cena cuando su esposo lleg a casa.
(Primera accin: Sarah haba preparado la cena
Segunda accin: su esposo lleg a casa)

Para poder construir la forma afirmativa del Pasado Perfecto debemos utilizar como auxiliar el verbo TO
HAVE en Pasado Simple y acompaado por el verbo principal en su Pasado Participio (ya sean verbos
regulares o verbos irregulares):

1. Affirmative Sentences (Frases afirmativas)

Sujeto + had + participio pasado

I had [Id] visited the Louvre before, so I knew where the Mona Lisa was.
(Haba visitado el Museo del Louvre antes, as que saba donde estaba la Mona Lisa.)
They had [Theyd] studied English before they went to London.
(Haban estudiado ingls antes de irse a Londres.)

2. Negative Sentences (Frases negativas)

Sujeto + had + not + participio pasado

I had not [hadnt] visited the Louvre before so I didnt know where the Mona Lisa was.
(No haba visitado el Museo del Louvre antes, as que no saba donde estaba la Mona Lisa.)
They had not [hadnt] studied English before they went to London.
(No haban estudiado ingls antes de irse a Londres.)

3. Interrogative Sentences (Frases interrogativas)

Had + sujeto + participio pasado?

How did you know where the Mona Lisa was? Had you visited the Louvre before?
(Cmo sabas dnde estaba la Mona Lisa? Habas visitado el Museo del Louvre antes?)
Had they studied English before they went to London?
(Haban estudiado ingls antes de irse a Londres?)

OTHER EXAMPLES:
I had bought a new car. Yo haba comprado un nuevo auto.

You had cleaned the house. T habas limpiado la casa.

Had I bought a new car? Haba comprado yo un nuevo auto?

Had you cleaned the house? Habas limpiado t la casa?

I had not bought a new dress. Yo no haba comprado un nuevo vestido.

You had not cleaned the house. T no habas limpiado la casa.

 CONCLUSIONS WITH MODALS

Los verbos modales expresan posibilidad o probabilidad. Cuando se utilizan con la forma infinitiva
del perfecto (have + participio pasado), los verbos modales indican especulacin sobre cosas en
el pasado.

Must have

Must have se usa para expresar una conclusin lgica sobre algo que ocurri en el pasado. No
estamos seguros de lo que sucedi exactamente, pero basada en las pruebas, podemos llegar a
alguna conclusin. A diferencia de might have o may have, como veremos ms tarde, must
have expresa ms certeza.

Ejemplos:
The lights are off. They must have gone out. (Las luces estn apagadas. Se deben haber ido.)

I never see John and Claire together anymore. They must have separated. (Ya nunca veo a John y
Claire juntos. Se deben haber separado.)

John never called you last night? He must have been working late. (John no te llam anoche?
Debe haber trabajado hasta tarde.)

May have / Might have

May have y might have se utilizan para expresar posibilidad en el pasado. El uso de estos dos
modales tambin expresa incertidumbre.

Ejemplos:
I think it may have worked, but we gave up too soon. (Creo que pudo haber funcionado, pero nos
rendimos demasiado pronto.)

They might have won if their star player hadnt been injured. (Ellos podran haber ganado si su
mejor jugador no se hubiera lesionado.)

Cant have

Cant have se utiliza de una manera similar a must have, pero en la forma negativa. Podemos
utilizar cant have cuando estamos bastante seguros de que algo no ocurra o que no era verdad
en el pasado.

Ejemplos:
I know you love chocolate. It cant have been easy to say no to that piece of cake. (S que te
gusta el chocolate. Debe de ser difcil para ti decir no a un pedazo de pastel.)

Frank failed the exam. He cant have been paying attention in class. (Frank suspendi el examen.
No debi haber estado atento en la clase.)

Could have

Couldnt have se puede usar en lugar de cant have.

Ejemplos:
I know you love chocolate. It couldnt have been easy to say no to that piece of cake. (S que
te gusta el chocolate. Debe de ser difcil para ti decir no a un pedazo de pastel.)

Frank failed the exam. He couldnt have been paying attention in class. (Frank suspendi el
examen. No debi haber estado atento en la clase.

Could have tambin se utiliza para expresar que algo era posible en el pasado pero en realidad
no pas.

Ejemplos:
If it hadnt stopped raining, the party could have been a disaster. (Si no hubiera parado de llover, la
fiesta podra haber sido un desastre.)

She could have run faster, but she wanted to save her energy. (Ella podra haber corrido ms
rpido, pero quera ahorrar energa.)

We could have bought a new car, but we decided to use the money to go on
vacation. (Podramos haber comprado un coche nuevo, pero decidimos usar el dinero para ir de vacaciones.)

Could have, en la afirmativa, es parecido a might have o may have, expresa posibilidad en el
pasado.

Ejemplos:
I think it could have worked, but we gave up too soon. (Creo que pudo haber funcionado, pero nos
rendimos demasiado pronto.)

I dont know, it could have been different if you were there. (No se, podra haber sido diferente si tu
hubieras estado all.)

Should have / Ought to have

Should have y ought to have se utiliza cuando algo no ocurri, pero hubiera sido mejor si
hubiera ocurrido. En la negativa, estos referentes indican que algo sucedi, pero hubiera sido
mejor que no fuese as.

Ejemplos:
I told you, you should have studied more! (Te lo dije, deberas haber estudiado ms.)

Ben ought to have gone to the doctor sooner. Now they say it will be a month before he is fully
recovered. (Ben debera haber ido al mdico antes. Ahora dicen que tardar un mes ms en recuperarse por
completo.)

I shouldnt have eaten that last cookie. (No debera haber comido la ltima galleta.)