~
~ 4A GRAMMAR can, could, be able to (ability and possession)
C) (;irc~the correct verb. Sometimes both verbs are possible .
I ~'1.Y~.'1.~ f.~~ ~~".''.'~!;?. ..... . . . . . .... . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . . .
I love all sports and have always \vanted to'~ able@/ can
play tennis. So, last year, at the age of 45, I decided to learn. I
was really happy when I found a teacher who 2 was able to /
1 could give me lessons and so I started. Unfortunately, after the
fi.rst fevv lessons, I realized that I'd never 3 can / b e able to play
tl1is ga1ne. One of the problems was that I 4couldn' t / wasn't
able to 111ove fast e11ough because I am not very fit. The ocher
problem is that tennis is not an easy sport to learn quickly. I
hated 5not can / not b eing able to hit the ball over the net. It
\Vas really frustrating! Did I learn anything? Yes, I did ... that I'll
never 6be able to / can play tennis!
It's never too late
My 78-year-old grandfather 7 couldn't / wasn't able to even
turn on a computer until about two years ago. All that changed
when he decided that he wanted to 8can / be able to use the
inter11et and he did a course at his local Adult Education Ce11tre.
Altl1ougl1 he really e11joyed the course, he 9couldn't / wasn't
able to put what he learnt in his classes into practice because
he didn't have a computer. So, for his birthday I bought him.
his own laptop and that's \vhen he really started learning!
No\v, he 10 'sable to / can use the internet really vvell a11d se11cl
emails. What he loves most is 11 can / being able to speak and
see his grandchildren on Skype at least once a week. They live
i11 Australia and if he didn't have a computer, he 12 couldn't J
wouldn't be able to keep in couch vvith the1n so 1nuch.
0 Complete the sentences with can/ can't or could / couldn't. If a form of can/ could isn't possible,
complete the sentence with a forn1 of be able to.
1 At the end of the six-\veek course, you'll 7 Miriam hates not play
be able to design your own \\iebsite. chess as well as Luke. He always beats her
2 Masha called me yesterday because she and she's a really bad loser!
_ __ _ _ _ re1ne1nber how to get to 8 Sometimes when you're 011 Skype you
my house. _ __ _ __ hear the otl1er person very
3 Simon isn't going to _ _ _ _ _ _ finish \Veil.
the report by the end of the day. 9 do \vhat you like is the best
4 Pierre has passed his drivi11g test so novv he thing about a holiday.
_ __ _ _ _ drive his father's car. l 0 I'm afraid I \von't go avvay
5 I haven't speak co Harry this \veekend. I'm too busy.
'
for over three weeks. He never ans\vers his 11 You sl1ould do this exercise
phone. vvithout any help. It's quite easy.
6 T he train was delayed so f ______ 12 We park here: there are no
get co the meeting on time. spaces.
activation
G Cover the stories in a . In pairs, tell each other the stories fron1 memory.
English File 3rd edition Teacher's Book Intermediat e Photocopiable Oxford University Press 2013
SOLUTIONS OF GRAMMAR 4A
a)
2 both possible
3 be able to
4 both possible
5 not being able to
6 be able to
7 both possible
8 be able to
9 both possible
10 both possible
11 being able to
12 both possible
b)
2 couldn't
3 be able to
4 can
5 been able to
6 couldn't
7 being able to
8 can't
9 Being able to
10 be able to
11 be able to
12 can't
