Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets

Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.

Unit 26. Can, could and (be) able to

A. We use can to say that something is possible or that somebody has the ability to do something.

* We use can + infinitive (can do/can see etc.):

* We can see the lake from our bedroom window.

* Can you speak any foreign languages?

* I can come and see you tomorrow if you like.

The negative is can’t (= cannot):

* I’m afraid I can’t come to the party on Friday.

* Are you able to speak any foreign languages?

But can has only two forms, can (present) and could (past). So sometimes it is necessary to use (be) able to. Compare:

but I haven’t been able to sleep recently. (can has no present perfect)

* Tom can come tomorrow.

but Tom might be able to come tomorrow. (can has no infinitive)

C. Could and was able to.

Sometimes could is the past of can. We use could especially with:

see hear smell taste feel remember understand

* When we went into the house, we could smell burning.

* She spoke in a very low voice, but I could understand what she said.

We also use could to say that somebody had the general ability or permission to do something:

* My grandfather could speak five languages.

We use could for general ability. But if we are talking about what happened in a particular situation, we use was/were able to. or managed to. (not could):

* The fire spread through the building quickly but everybody was able to escape.

* They didn’t want to come with us at first but we managed to persuade them.

* Jack was an excellent tennis player. He could beat anybody. he had the general ability to beat anybody)

The negative couldn’t (could not) is possible in all situations:

* My grandfather couldn’t (could not) is possible in all situations

* We tried hard but we couldn’t persuade them to come with us.

* Alf played well but he couldn’t beat Jack.

EXERCISES

26.1 Complete the sentences using can or (be) able to. Use can if possible; otherwise use (be) able to.

1. George has travelled a lot. He _can_ speak four languages.

2. I haven’t _been able to_ sleep very well recently.

3. Sandra ___ drive but she hasn’t got a car.

4. I can’t understand Martin. I’ve never ___ understand him.

5. I used to ___ stand on my head but I can’t do it now.

6. I can’t see you on Friday but I ___ meet you on Saturday morning.

7. Ask Catherine about your problem. She might ___ help you.

Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.

1. (something you used to be able to do) I used to be able to sing well.

2. (something you used to be able to do) I used ___

3. (something you would like to be able to do) I’d ___

4. (something you have never been able to do) I’ve ___

26.3 Complete the sentences with can/can’t/could/couldn’t + one of these verbs:

come cat hear run sleep wait

1. I’m afraid I _can’t come_ to your party next week.

2. When Tim was 16, he was a fast runner. He ___ 100 meters in 11 seconds.

3. Are you in a hurry?’ ‘No, I’ve got plenty of time. I ___.’

4. I was feeling sick yesterday. I ___ anything.

5. Can you speak up a bit? I ___ you very well.

6. ‘You look tired.’ ‘Yes, I ___ last night,’

26.4 Complete the answers to the questions with was/were able to.

1 A: Did everybody escape from the fire?

B: Yes. Although the fire spread quickly, everybody _was able to escape._

2 A: Did you have difficulty finding Ann’s house?

B: Not really. Ann had given us good directions and we ___

3. A: Did you finish your work this afternoon?

B: Yes. There was nobody to disturb me, so ___

4. A: Did the thief get away?

B: Yes. No one realised what was happening and the thief ___

26.5 Complete the sentences using could, couldn’t or was/were able to.

1. My grandfather was a very clever man. He _could_ speak five languages.

2. I looked everywhere for the book but I _couldn’t_ find it.

3. They didn’t want to come with us at first but we _were able to_ persuade them.

4. Laura had hurt her leg and ___ walk very well.

5. Sue wasn’t at home when I phoned but I ___ contact her at her office.

6. I looked very carefully and I ___ see a figure in the distance.

7. I wanted to buy some tomatoes. The first shop I went to didn’t have any but I ___ get some in the next shop.

8. My grandmother loved music. She ___ play the piano very well.

9. A girl fell into the river but fortunately we ___ rescue her.

10. I had forgotten to bring my camera so I ___ take any photographs.

Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.

1. (something you used to be able to do) I used to be able to sing well.

26.3 Complete the sentences with can/can’t/could/couldn’t + one of these verbs:

come cat hear run sleep wait

1. I’m afraid I _can’t come_ to your party next week.

Complete the answers to the questions with was/were able to.

1 A: Did everybody escape from the fire?

B: Yes. Although the fire spread quickly, everybody _was able to escape._

2 A: Did you have difficulty finding Ann’s house?

3. A: Did you finish your work this afternoon?

4. A: Did the thief get away?

Complete the sentences using could, couldn’t or was/were able to.

1. My grandfather was a very clever man. He _could_ speak five languages.

2. I looked everywhere for the book but I _couldn’t_ find it.

3. They didn’t want to come with us at first but we _were able to_ persuade them.

Treść zadania

Autor: naattii Dodano: 6.3.2011 (20:17)

Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets

Zadanie jest zamknięte. Autor zadania wybrał już najlepsze rozwiązanie lub straciło ono ważność.

Najlepsze rozwiązanie

I haven’t done my homework today.
I didn’t go outside yesterday.
I watched an interesting movie yesterday.
I haven’t visited my grandmother recently.
I have recently took a lot of pictures.

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Przydatność 65% How to write a about myself. An example.

26.2 Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.

1. (something you used to be able to do) I used to be able to sing well.

2. (something you used to be able to do) I used ___

3. (something you would like to be able to do) I’d ___

4. (something you have never been able to do) I’ve ___

26.3 Complete the sentences with can/can’t/could/couldn’t + one of these verbs:

come cat hear run sleep wait

1. I’m afraid I _can’t come_ to your party next week.

2. When Tim was 16, he was a fast runner. He ___ 100 meters in 11 seconds.

3. Are you in a hurry?’ ‘No, I’ve got plenty of time. I ___.’

4. I was feeling sick yesterday. I ___ anything.

5. Can you speak up a bit? I ___ you very well.

6. ‘You look tired.’ ‘Yes, I ___ last night,’

26.4 Complete the answers to the questions with was/were able to.

1 A: Did everybody escape from the fire?

B: Yes. Although the fire spread quickly, everybody _was able to escape._

2 A: Did you have difficulty finding Ann’s house?

B: Not really. Ann had given us good directions and we ___

3. A: Did you finish your work this afternoon?

B: Yes. There was nobody to disturb me, so ___

4. A: Did the thief get away?

B: Yes. No one realised what was happening and the thief ___

26.5 Complete the sentences using could, couldn’t or was/were able to.

1. My grandfather was a very clever man. He _could_ speak five languages.

2. I looked everywhere for the book but I _couldn’t_ find it.

3. They didn’t want to come with us at first but we _were able to_ persuade them.

4. Laura had hurt her leg and ___ walk very well.

5. Sue wasn’t at home when I phoned but I ___ contact her at her office.

6. I looked very carefully and I ___ see a figure in the distance.

7. I wanted to buy some tomatoes. The first shop I went to didn’t have any but I ___ get some in the next shop.

8. My grandmother loved music. She ___ play the piano very well.

9. A girl fell into the river but fortunately we ___ rescue her.

10. I had forgotten to bring my camera so I ___ take any photographs.

2. I used to be able to swim well.
3. I\u2019d like to be able to play the guitar.
4. I\u2019ve never be able to walk on my hands.

1. I\u2019m afraid I can\u2019t come to your party next week.

2. When Tim was 16, he was a fast runner. He could run 100 meters in 11 seconds.

3. \u2018Are you in a hurry?\u2019 \u2018No, I\u2019ve got plenty of time. I can wait.\u2019

4. I was feeling sick yesterday. I couldn\u2019t eat anything. (Wpisa\u0142am EAT, w zadaniu jest CAT, wi\u0119c my\u015bl\u0119, \u017ce by\u0142 b\u0142\u0105d ;))

5. Can you speak up a bit? I can\u2019t hear you very well.

6. \u2018You look tired.\u2019 \u2018Yes, I couldn\u2019t sleep last night.\u2019

26.5
4. Laura had hurt her leg and she wasn\u2019t able to walk very well.

5. Sue wasn\u2019t at home when I phoned but I was able to contact her at her office.

6. I looked very carefully and I could see a figure in the distance.

7. I wanted to buy some tomatoes. The first shop I went to didn\u2019t have any but I was able to get some in the next shop.

8. My grandmother loved music. She could play the piano very well.

9. A girl fell into the river but fortunately we were able to rescue her.

10. I had forgotten to bring my camera so I couldn\u2019t take any photographs.

Mam nadziej\u0119, \u017ce pomog\u0142am.
Licz\u0119 na naj i \u017cycz\u0119 powiedzonka z angielskim!!»>]» data-testid=»answer_box_list» >

Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets

Do not use the present perfect (I have done) when you talk about a finished time (for example,
yesterday/ten minutes ago/in 1985/when I was a child). Use a past tense:
* The weather was nice yesterday. (not ‘has been nice’)
* They arrived ten minutes ago. (not ‘have arrived’)
* I ate a lot of sweets when I was a child. (not ‘have eaten’)
* A: Did you see the news on television last night? (not ‘Have you seen’)
B: No, I went to bed early. (not ‘have gone’)

Compare:
Present perfect
* Tom has lost his key. He can’t get into the house.
Here, we are not thinking of the past action. We are thinking of the present result of the action: Tom doesn’t have his key now.
Past simple
* Tom lost his key yesterday. He couldn’t get into the house. Here, we are thinking of the action in the past. We don’t know from this sentence whether Tom has his key now.

Compare present perfect and past:
Present perfect (have done)
* I’ve done a lot of work today.

We use the present perfect for a period of time that continues from the past until now. For example, today, this week, since 1985.
* It hasn’t rained this week.
* Have you seen Ann this morning? (it is still morning)
* Have you seen Ann recently?
* I don’t know where Ann is. I haven’t seen her. (= I haven’t seen her recently)
* We’ve been waiting for an hour. (we are still waiting now)
* Ian lives in London. He has lived there for seven years.
* I have never played golf. (in my life)

The present perfect always has a connection with now. Past simple (did)
* I did a lot of work yesterday.
We use the past simple for a finished time in the past. For example, yesterday, last week, from 1985 to 1991.
* It didn’t rain last week.
* Did you see Ann this morning? (it is now afternoon or evening)
* Did you see Ann on Sunday?
* A: Was Ann at the party on Sunday?
B: I don’t think so. I didn’t see her.
* We waited (or were waiting) for an hour. (we are no longer waiting)
* Ian lived in Scotland for ten years.Now he lives in London.
* I didn’t play golf when I was on holiday last summer.

14.4 Write sentences about yourself using the ideas in brackets.
1. (something you haven’t done today)
I haven’t eaten any fruit today.
2. (something you haven’t done today)
3. (something you didn’t do yesterday)
4. (something you did yesterday evening)
5. (something you haven’t done recently)
6. (something you’ve done a lot recently)

4 wrong—I bought

5 wrong—were you

6 wrong—jenny left school

10 wrong—When was this book published

2 The weather has been cold recently.

3 It was cold last week.

4 I didn’t read a newspaper yesterday.

5 I haven’t read a newspaper today.

6 Ann has earned a lot of money this year.

7 She didn’t earn so much last year.

8 Have you had a holiday recently?

3 Have you washed it? (Did you wash it? is also possible)

6 has lived I ‘s lived

9 have never met/I’ve never met him

10 I’m afraid he has gone out./. he’s gone out. When exactly did he go out?

11 How long have you lived there? Where did you live before that? And how long did you live in Chicago?

14.4 Example answers:

2 I haven’t bought anything today.

3 I didn’t watch TV yesterday.

4 I went out with some friends yesterday evening.