Share Modal verbs to express ability
Save to Folder
Even though we were cold and tired, we were able to / manage to reach the top of the mountain.
managed to
I was so worried that I couldn't sleep / couldn't have slept and I stay awake all night.
couldn't sleep
When I was a small child, I could / was able to sing beautifully, but my voice isn’t so good now.
could
Can you / Are you able to hear the neighbours’ television? It’s far too loud!
Can you
I could buy / could have bought my tablet cheaper online, but I got it from my nearest independent computer shop instead because I like to support local businesses.
could have bought
Although the shop was very crowded, we could / were able to get the shopping done quite quickly.
were able to
I can’t/couldn't carry everything, so I had to leave some things behind.
couldn't
I was very happy that I could/was able to meet all your friends when I visited you last month.
was able to
I’m really pleased to hear that you could/can come to visit me next month.
can
We were able to/could find our way around Rome easily by using online maps on our smartphones.
were able to
Could/Can you understand basic economics when you were eight?
Could
He couldn’t/can't get to the meeting on time yesterday, because his car broke down.
couldn't
She’s absolutely amazing – she’s only seven and she can/could speak five languages, including Japanese.
can
He was delighted, because he was able to/could find a taxi and get to the party on time.
was able to
I’ve searched everywhere for my car keys, but I can’t/couldn't find them anywhere.
can't
I can’t/couldn't lift this armchair – it’s so heavy! Could you help me, please?
can't
