EXPRESSING

ABILITY - CAPABILITY
CAN
COULD
BE ABLE TO
MANAGE TO

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We can express the
ability/capability of doing
something or knowing how
to do something in several
ways.
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Sometimes we can use one or
more of the verb forms “can,
could, be able to, manage to” and
the meaning does not change.
 Sometimes there is a subtle
difference in the meaning of the
sentence depending on the verb
form we choose.
Sometimes the meaning of the
sentence changes depending on
which of these verb forms we
use.
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 PRESENT TENSE
• I can play tennis. • I have learnt how to do
this and I now have the
ability to do it.
• I am able to play • There are no
tennis twice a week. circumstances which
stop me from doing
this.
• I manage to play • I have to overcome
tennis twice a week. some difficulties in
order to do this.

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 • This is not ability. This
• I can play tennis means that I have
twice a week. PERMISSION to do this.

• This is not ability. This

• Can I play tennis is asking for
with you? PERMISSION.

• Are you able to do • Do you have the

this on your own? necessary abilities? Are
• Can you do this on you capable of doing
your own? this on your own?

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 PAST TENSES
• I could/was able to • At this age I had the
play tennis when I necessary abilities to do
was eleven. this.
• I was able to play • Circumstances allowed
tennis twice a week. me to do this.
• I managed to play • It was difficult but I did
tennis twice a week. this.
• I could play tennis • This is not ability. I had
twice a week. PERMISSION to do this.

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 PAST TENSES
• I’ve been able to play • Circumstances made this
tennis once a week all possible. Nothing
summer. stopped me from doing
this.
• I have managed to • Although I have had to
play tennis once a overcome some
week all summer. difficulties to do this.

The Perfect Tense uses ‘be

able to’ and ‘manage to’ for
ability/capability.

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 PAST TENSES
• I could get tickets for • I was always capable of
concerts whenever I doing this.
wanted to.
• I was able to get two • I am speaking of a
tickets for Madonna’s single occasion.
concert.
• I managed to get a • I obtained it with some
ticket for the concert. difficulty.
• Perhaps I could get a • This is not an ability.
ticket for the concert This is a POSSIBILITY.
too.
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 PAST TENSES
• John was able to send • He sent it.
a message.
• John managed to send • It was difficult but he did
a message it.
Could + perfect tense is not ability

• John could have sent a • He didn’t send it or we

message. don’t know whether he
sent one or not.
• John COULD have • Expresses irritation
sent a message! because he did not send
one.
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 PAST TENSES
• The man was able to • He was capable of doing
escape from the this.
house on fire.
• The man managed to • Although it was difficult
escape from the to do.
house on fire.
• The man could have • He had the POSSIBILITY
escaped from the to do this but
house on fire if the unfortunately he didn’t
roof hadn’t succeed.
collapsed.
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 FUTURE TENSE
• I’ll be able to visit • I will be capable of
Paris next year. doing this Nothing
should stop me.
• I hope you’ll be able • Hopefully, no
to come to Paris with circumstance will stop
us. you from doing this.
• I hope you’ll manage • Even though you may
to come with us. encounter difficulty in
doing this.
• I won’t be able to • I will be incapable of
come with you. doing this.
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 FUTURE TENSE
• Will John be able to • Will he have acquired
speak English well at the ability to do this?
the end of the
course?
• Could you run the • Is it possible? Do you
business by have the necessary
yourself? ability to do this?
• Would you be able to • Should it be necessary,
run the business by would you be capable
yourself? of doing this?

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