Can - be able to exercises
multiple choice

Can vs be able to - multiple choice - exercise 2

Multiple choice - can or be able to? Complete the sentences to express present and past ability or possibility.

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Could you Were you able to find a job when you lived in Spain?

The shop is closed. We  can’t aren't able to go there on Sunday.

Ann feels much better. She  can will be able to go out tomorrow, I hope.

The police  could were able to catch the burglar because he’d set off the alarm.

I am sorry for my English. I  could never have never been able to speak without mistakes.

Can you remember Jane? You  could were able to see her at Brian’s party last Saturday.

Are you free tomorrow night?  Can we Are we able to meet at Mario’s pizzeria?

Mum is ill. I’m afraid she  can't won’t be able to cook next weekend.

Fortunately, I can speak Spanish a little bit. I  could was able to give them directions.

Peter had nothing to do yesterday morning. He  could was able to cut the grass before it started to rain.

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Be able to multiple choice exercises, gap-filling + grammar rules.

Can + be able to | Ability

1. It is possible to use be able to to talk about a general ability in the present, but can is more common.
Cheetahs can run very fast.
Cheetahs are able to run very fast.

2. We can use was/were able to or could to talk about a general ability in the past.
I could swim when I was six years old.
I was able to swim when I was six years old.

Could is not used, however, to talk about a specific event (one particular action). We must use was/were able to.
Terry was able to play football on Sunday because he wasn't injured.

(This rule does not apply to negatives and verbs of senses or thinking. In these cases both forms are possible.)

3. To talk about a future ability, we use will be able to. Can is not used for future actions.
She will be able to walk in a week or two.

Other cases

In all other cases we must use be able to.
My sister has never been able to cook.
I'd love to be able to change my life.

Can + be able to | Possibility

Can is used in the present or future to express possibility.
The TV set is broken. We can't watch the film tonight.

Could is used in the past.
You could do it yesterday.

Be able to is used with all other tenses.
We haven't been able to have a shower for two weeks.
I had been able to go to English lessons twice a week before they were cancelled.

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