CAN and “BE ABLE TO” EXERCISES 1. She was very strong. She ______ swim all day and dance all night. 2. The car fell into the river. The workers _____ get it out but the driver was dead. 3. When I was younger I _____ stay up all night and not get tired 4. We had no keys, so we ______ open the door. (negative) 5. I looked very carefully and I _______ see a car in the distance. 6. A boy fell into the sea but luckily we ______ help him. 7. My son will never ______ to play the piano 8. At four years old he _____ read quite well. 9. I am sorry I ____ come to the meeting next week. 10. Before he had the car accident, he _____ run very fast. 11. I ______________ remember his name. 12. Diana ______________ the piano. 13. She will ______________ come on holiday next month if her parents give her permission. 14. They ______________ go. The weather was too bad. 15. A: Can you lend me some money? B: Sorry. I ______________. I haven't got any either. 16. Sorry, Teacher. I ______________do it yet. 17. The fishing boat sank but luckily all the crew ______________ save themselves. 18. Kemal ________________ afford this watch. It’s too expensive. 19. She _______________ swim. She learnt how to swim when she was 20. Sinan _____________ find the password after three attempts. 21. I ______________ open the door since my hands were full. 22. Linda is a practical girl. She _____________ do every housework very quickly. 23. When I was a child, I _______________ skateboard. 24. As soon as I saw the boy in front of my car, I _______________ step the brake. 25. Because it was foggy, Tim _____________ see clearly. 26. Larry Bird ____________ score 30 points in the last match. 27. In the last Olympic games in Beijing Usain Bolt _____________ run 100 meters in 9.69 seconds and he broke the world record. 28. My grandfather_____________ walk without any help last night. 29. I'll ________________ help you later. 30. ____________ you play the piano when you were a child? 31. George is absent from class today. He ____________ be sick. 32. ________ I watch the football match in your house? 33. I told my son that it was too late and he ________ not go to the party 34. If I continue training I will ________ to run the marathon next summer. 35. If you continue drinking you won´t ________ to drive home. 36. He ________ (not) go to France because he had lost his passport. 37. Fred (speak) Russian when he was six years old. 38. When you (come) tomorrow? 39. She (not/understand) the question yesterday. 40. I haven't ________ concentrate recently at work. I don't know what it is. 41. My brother ________ cook very well. He is a chef in a French restaurant. 42. I have to go to a business dinner tomorrow night so I ________ (not) come to the party. I'm very sorry. 43. When I was very young, I used to ________ touch my toes, but I can't now! 44. This telephone is terrible. I ________ (not) hear you at all. 45. Despite the arrival of the storm, they ________ finish the football match. 46. Do you think we ________ park over here? 47. Michael is very proud to ________ play in a jazz-band. 48. When I arrived everyone was asleep. Fortunately I ________ wake my sister and she let me in. 49. The police were suspicious at first but I ________ convince them that we were innocent. 50. I knew the town so I ________ advise him where to go. Presented by Tran Minh Hien 1 Note: + We use can to say that something is possible or that somebody has the ability to do something. • 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. + Be able to … is possible instead of can, but can is more usual: • 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: • I can't sleep. 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) + 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 were completely free. We could do what we wanted. (= we were allowed to do …) 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. or … everybody managed to escape. (but not could escape) • They didn't want to come with us at first but we managed to persuade them. or … we were able to persuade them. (but not could persuade) Compare: • Jack was an excellent tennis player. He could beat anybody. (= he had the general ability to beat anybody) but • Jack and Alf had a game of tennis yesterday. Alf played very well but in the end Jack managed to beat him. or … was able to beat him. (= he managed to beat him in this particular game) + The negative couldn't (could not) is possible in all situations: • My grandfather couldn't swim. • We tried hard but we couldn't persuade them to come with us. • Alf played well but he couldn't beat Jack. Presented by Tran Minh Hien 2 MULTI CHOICE 1. __________ speak a foreign language is always useful when you go abroad. A. Be able to B. Being able to C. Can D. I can 2. I __________ touch my toes since I started drinking beer. A. can't B. am not able to C. couldn't D. haven't been able to 3. You must __________ swim if you want to come on the boating holiday with us. A. can B. be able to C. to be able to D. will be able to 4. There was a fire in his office but he __________ escape through a window. A. can B. could C. could to D. was able to 5. My grandfather was an excellent athlete. He __________ run a mile in just over four minutes. A. can B. could C. couldn't D. was able to 6. The doctor says he will never __________ play tennis again after his accident. A. can B. could C. be able to D. to be able to 7. After his car crashed he was so confused that he __________ tell the police who he was or where he was going. A. could B. couldn't C. didn't could D. wasn't able to 8. I live alone because I like __________ come and go as I please. A. I can B. to can C. being able D. to be able to 9. I had saved up enough money so I __________ gone on holiday, but I decided to paint my flat instead. A. can have B. was able to C. could have D. was able to have 10. The police ran after the burglar, but she __________ get away from them. A. was able to B. could C. has been able to D. was being able to 11. The car fell into the river. The workers _____ get it out but the driver was dead. A. was able to B. could C. has been able to D. was being able to 12. When I was younger I _____ stay up all night and not get tired A. could B. was able to C. can D. am not able to 13. My son will never ______ to play the piano A. is able to B. be able to C. could D. can 14. Before he had the car accident, he _____ run very fast. A. could B. can C. were able to D. didn't could 15. They _________ go. The weather was too bad. A. couldn't B. wasn't able to C. can't D. didn’t able to 16. We _________ go to the party. We're going to a wedding. A. couldn't B. won't be able to C. will can't D. be able to 17. The fishing boat sank but luckily all the crew _________ save themselves. A. were able to B. could C. wasn't able to D. can 18. I would like to _________ play the piano. A. be able to B. could C. am able to D. can 19. He __________ pass the exam if he studied harder. A. can B. will be able to C. would be able to D. was able to 20. I haven't __________ concentrate recently at work. I don't know what it is. A. could B. been able to C. can D. am able to Presented by Tran Minh Hien 3 . CAN and “BE ABLE TO” EXERCISES 1. She was very strong. She ______ swim all day and dance all night. 2. The car fell into the river. The. The negative is can& apos;t (= cannot): • I'm afraid I can& apos;t come to the party on Friday. + Be able to … is possible instead of can, but can is more usual: • Are you able to speak any. abroad. A. Be able to B. Being able to C. Can D. I can 2. I __________ touch my toes since I started drinking beer. A. can& apos;t B. am not able to C. couldn't D. haven't been able to 3.