Grammar - Modal Verbs 3 (Be able to, can, could)

Index
Click the most suitable word or phrase in each sentence. ANSWERS
1) She has been able to | can swim since she was seven. RULE#2
2) The burglar was able to | could enter the home through this small bathroom window. RULE#1
3) Are you able to | Can you speak French fluently? RULE#3
4) What a delicious meal! I can | am able to taste all those herbs form your garden. RULE#4
5) My uncle loved music. He could | was able to play the guitar very well. RULE#3
6) He would like to be able to | can spend a few years in Spain. RULE#2
7) When Daniel was a child he could | was able to play football better than his brother. RULE#5
8) My father's car broke down last week, but the mechanic could | was able to repair it. RULE#1
9) Where's my Jacket? I'm not sure. It could | can be over there. RULE#5
10) When he finishes his medical degree he can | will be able to work as a doctor. RULE#2
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CORRECT!

RULE#2 => TO BE ABLE TO is used in all tenses or with the infinitive.

INCORRECT!

RULE#2 => CAN cannot be used in all tenses!

CORRECT!

RULE#1 => WAS/WERE ABLE TO is used when we are talking about what happened in a particular situation.

INCORRECT!

RULE#1 => COULD cannot be used when we are talking about what happened in a particular situation!

CORRECT!

RULE#3 => Sometimes TO BE ABLE TO is possible instead of CAN

CORRECT!

RULE#3 => Sometimes CAN is possible instead of TO BE ABLE TO

CORRECT!

RULE#4 => We use CAN with: UNDERSTAND, FEEL, SEE, HEAR, TASTE, SMELL, REMEMBER

INCORRECT!

RULE#4 => We use CAN with: UNDERSTAND, FEEL, SEE, HEAR, TASTE, SMELL, REMEMBER

CORRECT!

RULE#3 => Sometimes COULD is possible instead of WAS/WERE ABLE TO

CORRECT!

RULE#3 => Sometimes WAS/WERE ABLE TO is possible instead of COULD

CORRECT!

RULE#2 => TO BE ABLE TO is used in all tenses or with the infinitive.

INCORRECT!

RULE#2 => CAN cannot be used after another modal verbs!

CORRECT!

RULE#5 => COULD is used for general ability in the past.

INCORRECT!

RULE#5 => WAS/WERE ABLE TO isn't used for general ability in the past.

CORRECT!

RULE#1 => WAS/WERE ABLE TO is used when we are talking about what happened in a particular situation.

INCORRECT!

RULE#1 => COULD cannot be used when we are talking about what happened in a particular situation!

CORRECT!

RULE#5 => COULD is used to show that something is or might be possible.

INCORRECT!

RULE#5 => We use CAN when we talk about a more general possibility!

CORRECT!

RULE#2 => TO BE ABLE TO is used in all tenses or with the infinitive.

INCORRECT!

RULE#2 => CAN cannot be used in all tenses!

Answers

RULE#1 We use TO BE ABLE TO when we are talking about what happened in a particular situation. I lost my mobile a few days ago, but I was able to find it.
RULE#2 TO BE ABLE TO is used in all tenses or with the infinitive.
CAN has only two forms. (present + past)		 She hasn't been able to eat lately.
He'd like to be able to play the guitar.
She can't eat lately.
RULE#3 Sometimes TO BE ABLE TO is possible instead of CAN/COULD I'm able to dance = I can dance.
RULE#4 We use CAN/COULD with: UNDERSTAND, FEEL, SEE, HEAR, TASTE, SMELL, REMEMBER I can smell something burning!
She could hear an owl last night.
RULE#5 COULD is used for general ability in the past(1) or to show that something is or might be possible(2) She could speak fluent Spanish when she was 4.(1)
I could do it now, if you like.(2)