Intermediate Grammar Project

ABILITY MODALS

What are Ability Modals?

These modals are auxiliary verbs to express ideas, in this case: what you can or what you can’t do.

There are: 

can
could 
be able to

Ability in Present & Future

Can

STRUCTURE

Positive
> Subject + can + main verb (simple form) + complement
Negative
> Subject + can + not + main verb (simple form) + complement
Note: You can use the contraction: can’t.
Question
> Can + subject + main verb + complement + ?

EXAMPLES

◈ Their best friend can cook Chinese spicy ramen.
◈ Marina's dog can't eat chicken because of his allergy.
◈ Can you lend me your coat? It's raining and I'm cold.

Able to

STRUCTURE

Positive

> I + am able to + main verb (simple form) + complement
> He/she/it + is able to + main verb (simple form) + complement
> You/we/they + are able to + main verb (simple form) + complement

Negative

> I + am + NOT+ able to + main verb (simple form) + complement

> He/she/it + is + NOT + able to + main verb (simple form) + complement

> You/we/they + are + NOT able to + main verb (simple form) + complement

Note: You can use the contractions: isn’t and aren’t.

Question

> BE + subject + able to + main verb + complement + ?

 EXAMPLES

◈ We are able to knit three dolls in a month.
◈ I am not able to drive a car. I get nervous.
◈ Are Rosy able to iron this shirt today?

Ability in Past

We use the modal verb could and be able to express ability in the past.

Could

STRUCTURE

Positive

> Subject + could + main verb (simple form) + complement

Negative

> Subject + could + NOT + main verb (simple form) + complement

Note: You can use the contraction: couldn’t.

Question

> Could + subject + main verb + complement + ?

 EXAMPLES

◈ That could have hurt you! Please be careful next time.

◈ You could not smoke there.
◈ Could he make garlic bread? We should have asked him first. 

Able to

STRUCTURE

Positive

> I/He/she/it + was able to + main verb (simple form) + complement
> You/we/they + were able to + main verb (simple form) + complement

Negative

> I/He/she/it + was + NOT + able to + main verb (simple form) + complement
> You/we/they + were + NOT able to + main verb (simple form) + complement
Note: You can use the contractions: wasn’t and weren’t.

Question

> BE in past (was/were) + subject + able to + main verb + complement + ?

EXAMPLES

◈ I was able to jump rope for five minutes straight. Now it's hard for me to keep up.
◈ Ursula was not able to eat meat during her pregnancy.
◈ Were they able to sleep on the living room furniture?

SUMMARY

REFERENCES

Esl. (2019). Modals of ability: Modal verbs to express ability • 7ESL. 7ESL. https://7esl.com/modals-of-ability/