Page 96 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

could; be able to She couldn't write. 17/ be able to drive soon

PAST

1 could go you could go he/she/it could go etc (NOT / could to go)

H could 1 go? could you go? could he/she/it go? etc (NOT did 1could go?)
D 1 could not go you could not go he/she/it could not go etc
Contraction: couldn't

FUTURE
l/you etc will be able to go
H will l/you etc be able to go?
D l/you etc will not be able to go

Contractions: I'll, you'll etc; won't

To talk about the past, we use could.
I could talk when I was thirteen months old. I could walk when I was ten months old.
I couldn't understand the teacher yesterday. How could you say that to me?

Choose the best verbs, and use them with could to complete the story.
My brother's baby was unusual. At three months old she ( ►say / speak) 15 words. At a

year old she (i name / count)........................... all the colours, and she (2 speak/ count)........................... to

100. At three she (3 read / learn)........................... easy books. She (4 not think / not write)............................but
she (5 play / tell)........................... wonderful stories, and she (6 remember / believe)............................ every
story that she heard. She (7 not walk / not cry).......................... until she was nearly two, though.

What could you do at six years old? Look at the words in the box. Use a dictionary if necessary.
Then make some sentences with / could or / couldn't.

climb trees dance fight play chess play the piano read run fast sing write

Can does not have an infinitive {tocan). Instead, we use (to) be able to.
I want to be able to speak German. (NOT... to can-speak German.) I’ll be able to drive soon.

^ Make sentences with will be able to.
► I / swim / soon ..! to swlwc sooia-.

1 LittleTim /talk /soon .............................................................................................

2 I / pay you / next week ...........................................................................................
3 I hope that/go to America/one day .....................................................................

4 The doctor/see you/tomorrow ............................................................................
5 We/buy a car/next year .......................................................................................

Q Write about yourself, using be able to.

1 I'll............................................................................................................................. .....soon.

2 I'll............................................................................................................................. next year.
3 I'll............................................................................................................................. . one day.
4 I'll always..................................................................................................................
5 I'll never...................................................................................................................

In some answers, both contracted forms (for example I'm, don't) and full MODAL VERBS 81
forms (for example lam, do not) are possible. Normally both are correct.