how to express ability capability

EXPRESSING ABILITY - CAPABILITY CAN COULD BE ABLE TO MANAGE TO We can express the ability/capability of doing something or knowing how to something in several ways Sometimes we can use one or more of the verb forms “can, could, be able to, manage to” and the meaning does not change  Sometimes there is a subtle difference in the meaning of the sentence depending on the verb form we choose Sometimes the meaning of the sentence changes depending on which of these verb forms we use PRESENT TENSE • I can play tennis • I am able to play tennis twice a week • I manage to play tennis twice a week • • • I have learnt how to this and I now have the ability to it There are no circumstances which stop me from doing this I have to overcome some difficulties in order to this • I can play tennis twice a week • Can I play tennis with you? • • Are you able to this on your own? Can you this on your own? • This is not ability This means that I have PERMISSION to this • This is not ability This is asking for PERMISSION • Do you have the necessary abilities? Are you capable of doing this on your own? PAST TENSES • I could/was able to play tennis when I was eleven • I was able to play tennis twice a • this week • I managed to play tennis twice a week • I could play tennis twice a week At this age I had the necessary abilities to • • • Circumstances allowed me to this It was difficult but I did this This is not ability I had PERMISSION to this PAST TENSES • I’ve been able to play tennis once a week all summer • I have managed to play tennis once a week all summer • • Circumstances made this possible Nothing stopped me from doing this Although I have had to overcome some difficulties to this The Perfect Tense uses ‘be able to’ and ‘manage to’ for ability/capability PAST TENSES • I could get tickets for concerts whenever I wanted to • I was able to get two tickets for • I was always capable of doing this • I am speaking of a single occasion Madonna’s concert • I managed to get a ticket for the concert • Perhaps I could get a ticket for the concert too • • I obtained it with some difficulty This is not an ability This is a POSSIBILITY PAST TENSES • • John was able to send a message • John could have sent a message • He sent it • John COULD have sent a message! • It was difficult but he did it John managed to send a message Could + perfect tense is not ability • He didn’t send it or we don’t know whether he sent one or not • Expresses irritation because he did not send one PAST TENSES • The man was able to escape from the house on fire • The man managed to escape from the house on fire • The man could have escaped from the house on fire if the roof hadn’t collapsed • He was capable of doing this • Although it was difficult to • He had the POSSIBILITY to this but unfortunately he didn’t succeed FUTURE TENSE • I’ll be able to visit Paris next year • I hope you’ll be able to come to Paris with us • • I hope you’ll manage to come with us I won’t be able to come with you • • • • I will be capable of doing this Nothing should stop me Hopefully, no circumstance will stop you from doing this Even though you may encounter difficulty in doing this I will be incapable of doing this FUTURE TENSE • • • Will John be able to speak English well at the end of the course? Could you run the business by yourself? Would you be able to run the business by yourself? • Will he have acquired the ability to this? • Is it possible? Do you have the necessary ability to this? • Should it be necessary, would you be capable of doing this? [...]... able to visit Paris next year • I hope you’ll be able to come to Paris with us • • I hope you’ll manage to come with us I won’t be able to come with you • • • • I will be capable of doing this Nothing should stop me Hopefully, no circumstance will stop you from doing this Even though you may encounter difficulty in doing this I will be incapable of doing this FUTURE TENSE • • • Will John be able to. .. TENSE • • • Will John be able to speak English well at the end of the course? Could you run the business by yourself? Would you be able to run the business by yourself? • Will he have acquired the ability to do this? • Is it possible? Do you have the necessary ability to do this? • Should it be necessary, would you be capable of doing this? ...We can express the ability/ capability of doing something or knowing how to something in several ways Sometimes we can use one or more of the verb forms “can, could, be able to, manage to and... this possible Nothing stopped me from doing this Although I have had to overcome some difficulties to this The Perfect Tense uses ‘be able to and ‘manage to for ability/ capability PAST TENSES... • I am able to play tennis twice a week • I manage to play tennis twice a week • • • I have learnt how to this and I now have the ability to it There are no circumstances which stop me from doing