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Unit 18 Modal verbs I | Grammar | A2
Chúng ta sử dụng ‘can’ để nói về khả năng trong thời điểm hiện tại và tương lai.
Chúng ta sử dụng ‘could’ để nói về khả năng trong quá khứ.
Chúng ta sử dụng ‘could’ để nói về khả năng trong quá khứ.
EXERCISE 1
Boastful Billy thinks he’s very clever and he likes to tell everyone about all the things he can do. The chart below shows what Billy has achieved since the age of 10. He is 16 years old now.
| AGE | What Billy can do |
| 9 years old | stand on his head ✓ |
| 10 years old | run fast ✓ |
| 11 years old | ride a bike ✓ |
| 12 years old | swim ✓ |
| 13 years old | play chess ✓ |
| 14 years old | speak French ✓ |
| 15 years old | play the guitar ✓ |
| 16 years old | run fast ✘ |
✓ = can ✘ = can’t
Billy says:
I can ride a bicycle now. When I was 10, I could stand on my head. I couldn’t ride a bike when I was 9. I can’t run fast any longer.
Fill the gaps with can/can't/could/couldn't:
I 1._________ swim when I was 12.
I 2._________ play chess at 14.
Now I 3._________ play the guitar but I 4._________ run fast.
When I was 9, I 5._________ ride a bike but I 6._________ stand on my head. I 7._________ speak French; I started learning it when I was 14. I’m 16 now, and I 8._________ play chess, speak French, play the guitar, swim, ride a bike and stand on my head but I 9._________ run fast any longer.
Make up 3 sentences using the information about Billy above:
10. ______________ can ______________.
11. ______________ could ______________.
12. ______________ can’t ______________.
Chúng ta sử dụng ‘be able to’ để nói về khả năng ở hiện tại, quá khứ và tương lai.
Bạn phải sử dụng ‘be able to’ nếu bạn đang sử dụng:
Một động từ khiếm khuyết khác
You will be able to run faster if you wear training shoes.
Dạng ‘-ing’
VD. I was very disappointed about not being able to go to the party.
Hiện tại / Quá khứ hoàn thành
VD. Since the snow fell, we haven’t been able to leave the house.
Động từ nguyên mẫu với ‘to’
VD. She hopes to be able to pay you a visit during the holidays.
EXERCISE 2
Complete the following sentences, using an appropriate construction with 'be able to' from the choices given in the box:
1. I ________________ see you tonight.
2. Doctor, can you give me some sleeping pills? You see, I _______________ get to sleep lately.
3. Put that file in a safe place so that you ________________ find it again when you need it.
4. He was worried about the possibility of ________________find your house without a map.
5. She was told that the man in the office ________________ help her.
6. This child ________________ write since he was three years old.
has been able to will be able to may not be able to
would be able to not being able to haven’t been able
would be able to not being able to haven’t been able