Unit 30: Tales of survival

Present and past modals of ability

Meaning and use

We use can or be able to for saying that somebody or something has the ability to do
something. Can and be able to mean the same, but we often use be able to when something
is surprising or unusual.

Camels can carry up to 600 pounds on their backs.

They are able to close their noses to keep out the sand.

To talk about ability in the past, we use could or be able to.

20 years ago, the Kalahari bushmen could make fire without matches.
They were able to survive without fresh water for three weeks.

For a single event in the past, we use be able to (not could) in positive statements.

Our guide was able to show us the caves where the bushmen lived.
NOT: Our guide could show us the caves where the bushmen lived.

However, in negative statements and questions about single events, we can use could or be
able to.

Could you talk to the bushmen? Were you able to talk to the bushmen?
We couldn't talk to them. We weren't able to talk to them.

If something is very difficult to do or is very successful, we often use the verb manage to
(lograr) instead of a modal verb.

The bushmen managed to live happily in their natural environment for at least 20,000
years.

Form
After can/can't and could/couldn't we use the infinitive without to. We also use the same
form for all persons: I, you, he, she, it, we, they. After be able to we use the infinitive
without to as well, but the form of be changes: am/are/is able to for the present
and was/were able to for the past.

Positive

In Yakutia, the people can speak both Yakut and Russian.

They are able to survive in temperatures of -70.
Negative

They cant grow vegetables in winter, so they eat a lot of meat and fish.
Most people arent able to travel in winter because of the freezing weather.

Questions

In questions with can, could and be able to, we change the word order. We dont
use Do/Does. Can, could or the verb be come before the subject or subject pronoun.

How can the people survive in temperatures of -70?

Why arent they able to travel in winter?
Could they leave the area by April?

Take note: 'be able to' with infinitives and present perfect
Can has no infinitive form or present perfect form. So in some sentences, we have to use be
able to.

Id like to be able to speak Russian. (infinitive)

We havent been able to contact them by phone yet. (present perfect)

Take note: form of 'manage to'

Manage to is a regular verb in the positive form. But in the negative form we say cant
manage to in the present and couldnt or didnt manage to in the past. We also use did for
questions.

I cant manage to eat all that!

They couldnt/didnt manage to finish the race.
Did you really manage to swim across the Channel?

Take note: sense verbs and verbs of thinking

We usually use can and not be able to with sense verbs and verbs of thinking such as see,
hear, smell, believe, remember.

I can see the Lena River from here.

I cant believe that it gets so cold there.
The bushmen could remember their way around the desert from day to day.
6 Minute Vocabulary
Vocabulary points to take away

For verbs ending in a consonant, vowel, consonant like get and begin double the final
consonant before ing and ed:

Ive stopped sitting in the sun because its beginning to get too hot.

BUT If the final syllable of the verb is not stressed, dont double the consonant:

Theyve been listening to whats happened on the news.

When there is a short vowel sound before a consonant, we often double the consonant:

He sent me a message asking me to collect him at the station.

BUT this is only a general guide, so you need a technique for learning how to spell these
words:

Cheerful Charlie and Mad Mary share accommodation.

Session Vocabulary
Here are some of the words with double letters from the programme:
getting
brilliant recommend
opportunity apply
happy possible
successful disappointed
addresses

6 Minute Vocabulary

Words with double letters

Finn
In this programme, were looking at spelling.
Catherine
And the area of spelling were looking at today is words with double letters.

Finn
Lets start by listening to David. Hes a student welfare officer at a university. Hes welcoming
a new student to the campus. What word means: the rooms, flats and houses that people live
in?

David
Congratulations on getting a place at our university. Its a brilliant opportunity and Im sure
that you will be happy and successful here. Im here to help you find accommodation.
Weve got rooms, flats and houses all over the city, but I recommend that you apply as soon
as possible so youre not disappointed. Heres a list of addresses.

Finn
And the answer is: accommodation.

Catherine
It is and accommodation is one of our words with double letters. So, Finn do you spell
accommodation?

Finn
a-double c-o-double m-o-d-a-t-i-o-n.

Catherine
Which 6 words have double letters?

Congratulations on getting a place at our University. Its a brilliant opportunity and

Im sure that you will be happy and successful here!

Finn
So we had getting with double t, brilliant with double l, opportunity with double
p, will with double l, and also happy with double p and successful with double c
and double s.

Catherine
Correct! Let's take a look at some spelling rules. The first rule is about verbs. If the final three
letters of a verb are consonant, vowel, consonant, we double the final consonant before we
add i-n-g or e-d. So get, spelt g-e-t becomes getting with double t, and begin ends in g-i-
n so it becomes beginning with double n. Now our next rule is to do with short vowel
sounds. Finn can you demonstrate some short vowel sounds please?

Finn
a, o, i, e, a, u...
Catherine
Fantastic. And now some long vowel sounds?

Finn
u, e, a, ei...

Catherine
Ok, so, when there is a short vowel sound before a consonant, like a in happy, we often
double the consonant after it. The short a in happy gives us a double p. The
short o in opportunity gives us another double p, the short i in brilliant gives us double l.

Finn
And this can happen more than once in the same word. So in the word successful, we
get u double c and e double s, and in accommodation we get a double c and o double
m. Easy!

Catherine
Exactly. And lots of short words like summer, coffee and apple and will follow this general
rule.

But I recommend that you apply as soon as possible so youre not disappointed.
Heres a list of addresses

Catherine
So: following the rule, weve got recommend with o double m, possible with o double
s and disappointed with a double p.

Catherine
And were talking about words with double letters.

Finn
Right, quiz time! Number one: Is there a double n in the verb happening?

Catherine
No, there isnt.

Finn
Well done! Number two: Are there any double letters in the word immediately?

Catherine
Yes, theres a double m.

Finn
Very good! Number three: Which of these words have a double c? occasion, accident,
succeed?
Catherine
And the answer is they all do! They all have a short vowel sound followed by a double c.
And now heres a top tip for vocabulary learning. If youre struggling to learn the spelling of a
word, get a keyboard and type it a hundred times. Your fingers might learn the spelling more
quickly than your brain!.

Can, could, be able to, manage to: Meaning and use

Session Grammar
We use can and be able to with infinitive verbs to talk about ability in the present.

An elephant can carry up to 9,000kg.

They are able to walk for up to 50 miles a day.

For ability in the past, use could and was/were able to.

I could see the fish in the water, but I couldn't catch them.
They weren't able to survive long without food.

For single events in the past, use be able to for positive sentences.

We were able to take a photograph of the lions (NOT: We could take a photograph of
the lions)

For single events, use be able to or could / couldn't for negatives and questions.

We weren't able to see the elephants today. We couldn't take any photographs. Could you
see any giraffes?

Use manage to when something is very difficult to do or very successful:

They managed to travel across the Atlantic Ocean.

Session Grammar

Can, could, manage to, be able to: Form

After can/can't and could/couldn't we don't use 'to' with the infinitive:

He can speak with the local people in their language.

They can't really understand each other, though.
 They could communicate basic ideas.
He couldn't study the language long enough to learn to write it.

Can/can't and could/couldn't have the same form for all persons, but are able
to changes: am/are/is able to in the present and was/were able to in the past.

In questions with can and could the modal verb moves before the subject.

You can speak the Yakut language.

Can you speak Yakut?

With manage to you make the question form with did or could. You make the negative
with didn't or couldn't.

Did you manage to eat the food? I didn't manage to eat any of it!
Could you manage the journey? I couldn't manage it - the journey was too tough!

6 Minute Grammar

Can, could, be able to, manage to

Catherine
In this programme were talking about modal verbs of ability.

Neil
So here we go. First of all, what are modals of ability?
Catherine
Well, there are lots of different modal verbs like must, might and have to. And we use them
together with main verbs, to add meaning to what we say.

Neil
So in this programme were talking about the modal verbs can and could. Were looking at
how we can use these modals with main verbs to add meaning related to ability.

Mike
Humans can only live without water for three to five days.

Catherine
So thats can with the verb live to express ability. And in this example, the ability to live
without water. And in this programme were also going to talk about ability with the phrase be
able to plus a verb. Its similar to can, but its particularly useful when were suggesting that
something is a bit surprising like this from Mike.

Mike
Humans can only live without water for three to five days.
However, they are able to live without food for up to three weeks.

Neil
Okay. In those examples were talking about ability in the present. Now for the past.

Catherine
And the past of can is could. We also use be able to in the past but of course it
becomes was able to or were able to.

Mike
People in Asia could write before people in Europe.

Mike
People in Asia were able to write before people in Europe.

Neil
But sometimes you have to use be able to and not could.

Catherine
And that happens when were talking about a single event in the past, not general ability.

Mike
After climbing for six hours, they were able to reach the top of the mountain.

Catherine
You cant use could in that example because could is for general ability, not a single
occasion like climbing one mountain.
Neil
But there is another verb that you can use in that last sentence.

Mike
After climbing for six hours, they managed to reach the top of the mountain.

Neil
We often use manage to with a verb for ability if something is very difficult to do or if
something is very successful.

Catherine
Exactly. Remember that can and could are always followed by the infinitive without to. And
they are the same for all subject pronouns.

Neil
But be able to changes for different persons. Its am/is/are able to for the
present and was/were able to for the past.

Catherine
And were looking at modal verbs of ability.

Neil
Yes, we are. And weve got a few extra tips for you today.

Catherine
We have. And the first tip is, you know sense verbs like see, hear and smell? And verbs of
thinking like believe, understand and remember? Well, we usually use can and not be able
to with those..

Mike
I cant understand this question.

Catherine
Good. Second tip. When we have two main verbs together, we cant put can or could
between them. For example, with the sentence Id like to swim. Its okay to say

Mike
Id like to be able to swim. Catherine But its not okay to say

Mike
Id like to can swim.

Neil
Oh no, you cant say that! It sounds a bit strange.
Neil
Next tip: There is also no present perfect form of can. If we need the present perfect for
ability, we use be able to.

Mike
He hasnt been able to walk since the accident.

Catherine
Thank you, Mike. And now a tip about manage to in the negative form. We say cant
manage to in the present, but its couldnt manage to or didnt manage to in the past.

Mike
I cant manage to swim that far!
Fifty-five pies?! I cant manage to eat all those.
The men couldnt manage to lift the piano.
He didnt manage to get the grades he needed for university.

Catherine
And now - its quiz time. Will you manage to get three correct answers?

Neil
Lets see. Are these sentences correct or incorrect? Number one: The villagers were good
hunters, but they couldnt grow crops.

Catherine
And thats correct.

Neil
Well done! Number two: My phone wasnt working but the receptionist could phone for a taxi.

Catherine
And thats not correct. The correct sentence is the receptionist was able to phone for a
taxi.

Neil
And number three: I want to can do this.

Catherine
And thats not correct. Between two main verbs, we have to use be able to. So the correct
sentence is I want to be able to do this.