Ability

1. Ability - present

To talk about ability in the present, we use​​ can​​ and​​ to be able to/to be unable to.

‘Can​​ Joe drive?’ ‘No, he​​ can’t. He is too young.’

I​​ cannot​​ sing at all.

I​​ am not able to​​ answer this question. It’s too​​ difficult.

Note:​​ The negative of​​ can​​ is​​ can’t​​ and​​ cannot.

can​​ is used for general situations.​​ to be able to/to be unable to​​ is used for more specific situations and can be used in all the tenses.​​ 

to be able to​​ is also used for all the tenses.

I​​ will be able to​​ speak English next year.

2. Ability - past

To talk about ability in the past, we can use​​ could​​ and​​ was/were able to.

When I was young, I​​ could​​ run very fast.

I​​ could​​ always swim well, but that day I just​​ wasn’t able to​​ swim fast​​ enough.

3. Other ways of expressing ability

We can use verbs to express ability:​​ manage to + infinitive​​ and​​ succeed in + gerund/noun. These verbs can be used both in the present and the future. They can be used in all the tenses.

 I​​ have managed to​​ phone​​ the insurance company finally.

 I’m sure Jack​​ will succeed in learning​​ French.