💠 Can / could vs. to be able to
The use of ‘can/could’ and ‘to be able to’ in order to express ability, can at times cause confusion. So, today we are going to look at these different verb constructions and how they are used the same, and differently, to talk about ability.
Can and to be able to are usually used in the same way without a difference in meaning, but not always…
⚪️ ‘Can’ is a modal auxiliary verb that expresses general ability in the present tense; ‘could’ works the same way, but in the past tense.
⚫️ ‘To be able to’ is not a modal auxiliary verb. It is the conjugated verb ‘to be’ + the adverb ‘able’ + the infinitive ‘to’.
When talking/writing about ability in the present tense you can use either ‘can’ or ‘be able to’, but ‘can’ is generally more common among native speakers.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I can speak two languages.
🔺I am able to speak two languages.
When talking/writing about past ability you can use ‘could’ or ‘was/were able to’ in order to discuss an ability that existed for a long time, but now no longer exists.
🔵 Examples:
🔺When I was young, I was able to speak two languages.
🔺When I was young, I could speak two languages.
But you should only use ‘was/were able to’ with action verbs to talk about an ability related to a single event or incident in the past.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I was able to surprise my teacher yesterday.
🚫 Don’t say: I could surprise my teacher yesterday.
You can use either ‘could’ or ‘was/were able to’ with some stative verbs (see, hear, feel, taste) to discuss ability related to a single event or incident in the past.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I was able to see the teacher well from my seat yesterday.
🔺I could see the teacher well from my seat yesterday.
It is also okay to use ‘couldn’t’ or ‘wasn’t/weren’t able to’ for negative statements for both single events and a long period of time in the past.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I wasn’t able to surprise my teacher yesterday. or I was never able to surprise my teacher.
🔺I couldn’t surprise my teacher yesterday. or I couldn’t ever surprise my teacher.
Lastly, when talking/writing about future ability in English we only use ‘will be able to.’ We never use ‘can’ for an ability that may exist in the future.
🔵 Examples:
🔺When I finish the advanced level English class ,I will be able to speak like a native speaker.
🚫 Don’t say: When I finish the advanced level English class , I can speak like a native speaker.
But it is okay to use either ‘can’ or ‘will be able to’ when we are talking about decisions and future arrangements.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I can attend the class next week.
🔺I will be able to attend the class next week.
I hope this post helps clear up any confusion you had about the different uses of ‘can/could’ and ‘to be able to’ when you are talking about present, past, and future ability.
#Grammar
#VS
The use of ‘can/could’ and ‘to be able to’ in order to express ability, can at times cause confusion. So, today we are going to look at these different verb constructions and how they are used the same, and differently, to talk about ability.
Can and to be able to are usually used in the same way without a difference in meaning, but not always…
⚪️ ‘Can’ is a modal auxiliary verb that expresses general ability in the present tense; ‘could’ works the same way, but in the past tense.
⚫️ ‘To be able to’ is not a modal auxiliary verb. It is the conjugated verb ‘to be’ + the adverb ‘able’ + the infinitive ‘to’.
When talking/writing about ability in the present tense you can use either ‘can’ or ‘be able to’, but ‘can’ is generally more common among native speakers.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I can speak two languages.
🔺I am able to speak two languages.
When talking/writing about past ability you can use ‘could’ or ‘was/were able to’ in order to discuss an ability that existed for a long time, but now no longer exists.
🔵 Examples:
🔺When I was young, I was able to speak two languages.
🔺When I was young, I could speak two languages.
But you should only use ‘was/were able to’ with action verbs to talk about an ability related to a single event or incident in the past.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I was able to surprise my teacher yesterday.
🚫 Don’t say: I could surprise my teacher yesterday.
You can use either ‘could’ or ‘was/were able to’ with some stative verbs (see, hear, feel, taste) to discuss ability related to a single event or incident in the past.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I was able to see the teacher well from my seat yesterday.
🔺I could see the teacher well from my seat yesterday.
It is also okay to use ‘couldn’t’ or ‘wasn’t/weren’t able to’ for negative statements for both single events and a long period of time in the past.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I wasn’t able to surprise my teacher yesterday. or I was never able to surprise my teacher.
🔺I couldn’t surprise my teacher yesterday. or I couldn’t ever surprise my teacher.
Lastly, when talking/writing about future ability in English we only use ‘will be able to.’ We never use ‘can’ for an ability that may exist in the future.
🔵 Examples:
🔺When I finish the advanced level English class ,I will be able to speak like a native speaker.
🚫 Don’t say: When I finish the advanced level English class , I can speak like a native speaker.
But it is okay to use either ‘can’ or ‘will be able to’ when we are talking about decisions and future arrangements.
🔵 Examples:
🔺I can attend the class next week.
🔺I will be able to attend the class next week.
I hope this post helps clear up any confusion you had about the different uses of ‘can/could’ and ‘to be able to’ when you are talking about present, past, and future ability.
#Grammar
#VS
📔 Useful expressions in "Opinion Essays"
🔅 I believe/ think/ feel (that) ...
🔅I strongly believe ..,
🔅 In my opinion/ view ,...
🔅 The way I see it, ...
🔅 It seems/ appears to me (that) ...
🔅 To my mind, ...
🔅 I (do not) agree that/ with ...
🔅 My opinion is that ...
🔅 As far as I am concerned,...
🔅 I (completely) agree that/ with ...
🔅I (strongly) disagree that/ with ...
🔅 I am totally against ...
🔅 I couldn't agree more that/ with ...
🔅I couldn't disagree more that/ with ,..
#Useful_expressions
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
🔅 I believe/ think/ feel (that) ...
🔅I strongly believe ..,
🔅 In my opinion/ view ,...
🔅 The way I see it, ...
🔅 It seems/ appears to me (that) ...
🔅 To my mind, ...
🔅 I (do not) agree that/ with ...
🔅 My opinion is that ...
🔅 As far as I am concerned,...
🔅 I (completely) agree that/ with ...
🔅I (strongly) disagree that/ with ...
🔅 I am totally against ...
🔅 I couldn't agree more that/ with ...
🔅I couldn't disagree more that/ with ,..
#Useful_expressions
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
🌀 Phantonym :
a word that looks it means a particular thing, but in fact means something different.
( phantom + antonym )
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
a word that looks it means a particular thing, but in fact means something different.
( phantom + antonym )
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
🌀 PHANTONYMS 🌀
1️⃣ Fulsome : ( adjective )
full·some ➡️ \ˈfu̇l-səm\
Meaning :
❌ full
✅ disgusting, excessive, insincere, adulatory, gushing, gushy, hagiographic (also hagiographical), oily, oleaginous, soapy, unctuous
Example(s) :
• The player's fulsome praise for the coach showed just how hard he was trying to be named captain of the team.
• grateful survivors who were fulsome in their praise of the rescue team
2️⃣ Noisome : ( adjective )
noi·some ➡️ \ˈnȯi-səm\
Meaning :
❌ noisy
✅ smelly, unhealthful , insalubrious, unhealthy, noxious, sickly, unwholesome
Example(s) :
• Noisome vapours arise from the mud left in the docks.
3️⃣ Enormity : ( noun )
enor·mi·ty ➡️ \i-ˈnȯr-mə-tē\
Meaning :
❌ enormous
✅ wickedness, monstrous , atrociousness, atrocity, badness, depravedness, depravity, diabolicalness, evilness, heinousness, hideousness, monstrosity, sinfulness, vileness
Example(s) :
• We were shocked at the enormity of the crime.
• They didn't fully grasp the enormity of their decision.
4️⃣ Disinterested : ( adjective )
dis·in·ter·est·ed ➡️ \(ˌ)dis-ˈin-trə-stəd; -ˈin-tə-ˌre-, -tə-rə-, -tər-; -ˈin-ˌtre-\
Meaning :
❌ uninterested , indifferent, bored.
✅ unbiased, objective, impartial apathetic, casual, complacent, incurious, insensible, insouciant, nonchalant, perfunctory, pococurante, unconcerned, uncurious
Example(s) :
• A lawyer should provide disinterested advice.
5️⃣ Enervate : ( verb )
en·er·vate ➡️ \ˈe-nər-ˌvāt\
Meaning :
❌ energize
✅ weaken, castrate, damp, dampen, deaden, desiccate, devitalize, dehydrate, geld, lobotomize, petrify
Example(s):
• A lifetime of working in dreary jobs ,had enervated his very soul.
• The surgery really enervated me for weeks afterwards.
6️⃣ Fortuitous : ( adjective )
for·tu·itous ➡️ \fȯr-ˈtü-ə-təs, -ˈtyü-, fər-\
Meaning :
❌ lucky, fortunate
✅ happening by chance, providential
Example(s) :
• His presence there was entirely fortuitous.
• You could not have arrived at a more fortuitous time.
7️⃣ Penultimate : ( adjective ) pen·ul·ti·mate ➡️ \pi-ˈnəl-tə-mət\
Meaning :
❌ ultra ultimate
✅ before the last ,next to the last
Example(s) :
• The penultimate syllable of the word.
8️⃣ Restive : ( adjective )
res·tive ➡️ \ˈres-tiv\
Meaning :
❌ restful
✅ stubborn, balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant, froward, incompliant, insubordinate, intractable, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious, recalcitrant, recusant, refractory, disobedient, ungovernable, unruly, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)
Example(s) :
• The restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward.
• She spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam.
9️⃣ Testy : ( adjective )
tes·ty ➡️ \ˈtes-tē\
Meaning :
❌ related to test or exam
✅ choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety, fiery, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, peevish, perverse, pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stuffy, irritable, waspish
Example :
• It had been a long day and Sarah was getting a little testy.
1️⃣0️⃣ Inflammable : ( adjective )
in·flam·ma·ble ➡️ \in-ˈfla-mə-bəl\
Meaning :
❌ nonflammable
✅ burnable, combustive, fiery, flammable, ignitable (also ignitible), combustible, touchy
Example(s) :
• Some pajamas are made of inflammable material, so be careful.
1️⃣1️⃣ Suffrage : ( noun )
suf·frage ➡️ \ˈsə-frij, sometimes -fə-rij\
Meaning :
❌ suffering
✅ ballot, enfranchisement, franchise, vote
Example(s) :
• Even as the world entered the 21st century, some nations still did not permit women's suffrage.
1️⃣2️⃣ Phosphene : ( noun )
phos·phene ➡️ \ˈfäs-ˌfēn\
Meaning :
❌ a phosphorus compound
✅ spots of light seen after rubbing eyes
Example(s):
• I hate it when I rub my eyes and I’m left with phosphenes for ages afterwards.
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
1️⃣ Fulsome : ( adjective )
full·some ➡️ \ˈfu̇l-səm\
Meaning :
❌ full
✅ disgusting, excessive, insincere, adulatory, gushing, gushy, hagiographic (also hagiographical), oily, oleaginous, soapy, unctuous
Example(s) :
• The player's fulsome praise for the coach showed just how hard he was trying to be named captain of the team.
• grateful survivors who were fulsome in their praise of the rescue team
2️⃣ Noisome : ( adjective )
noi·some ➡️ \ˈnȯi-səm\
Meaning :
❌ noisy
✅ smelly, unhealthful , insalubrious, unhealthy, noxious, sickly, unwholesome
Example(s) :
• Noisome vapours arise from the mud left in the docks.
3️⃣ Enormity : ( noun )
enor·mi·ty ➡️ \i-ˈnȯr-mə-tē\
Meaning :
❌ enormous
✅ wickedness, monstrous , atrociousness, atrocity, badness, depravedness, depravity, diabolicalness, evilness, heinousness, hideousness, monstrosity, sinfulness, vileness
Example(s) :
• We were shocked at the enormity of the crime.
• They didn't fully grasp the enormity of their decision.
4️⃣ Disinterested : ( adjective )
dis·in·ter·est·ed ➡️ \(ˌ)dis-ˈin-trə-stəd; -ˈin-tə-ˌre-, -tə-rə-, -tər-; -ˈin-ˌtre-\
Meaning :
❌ uninterested , indifferent, bored.
✅ unbiased, objective, impartial apathetic, casual, complacent, incurious, insensible, insouciant, nonchalant, perfunctory, pococurante, unconcerned, uncurious
Example(s) :
• A lawyer should provide disinterested advice.
5️⃣ Enervate : ( verb )
en·er·vate ➡️ \ˈe-nər-ˌvāt\
Meaning :
❌ energize
✅ weaken, castrate, damp, dampen, deaden, desiccate, devitalize, dehydrate, geld, lobotomize, petrify
Example(s):
• A lifetime of working in dreary jobs ,had enervated his very soul.
• The surgery really enervated me for weeks afterwards.
6️⃣ Fortuitous : ( adjective )
for·tu·itous ➡️ \fȯr-ˈtü-ə-təs, -ˈtyü-, fər-\
Meaning :
❌ lucky, fortunate
✅ happening by chance, providential
Example(s) :
• His presence there was entirely fortuitous.
• You could not have arrived at a more fortuitous time.
7️⃣ Penultimate : ( adjective ) pen·ul·ti·mate ➡️ \pi-ˈnəl-tə-mət\
Meaning :
❌ ultra ultimate
✅ before the last ,next to the last
Example(s) :
• The penultimate syllable of the word.
8️⃣ Restive : ( adjective )
res·tive ➡️ \ˈres-tiv\
Meaning :
❌ restful
✅ stubborn, balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant, froward, incompliant, insubordinate, intractable, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious, recalcitrant, recusant, refractory, disobedient, ungovernable, unruly, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)
Example(s) :
• The restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward.
• She spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam.
9️⃣ Testy : ( adjective )
tes·ty ➡️ \ˈtes-tē\
Meaning :
❌ related to test or exam
✅ choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety, fiery, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, peevish, perverse, pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stuffy, irritable, waspish
Example :
• It had been a long day and Sarah was getting a little testy.
1️⃣0️⃣ Inflammable : ( adjective )
in·flam·ma·ble ➡️ \in-ˈfla-mə-bəl\
Meaning :
❌ nonflammable
✅ burnable, combustive, fiery, flammable, ignitable (also ignitible), combustible, touchy
Example(s) :
• Some pajamas are made of inflammable material, so be careful.
1️⃣1️⃣ Suffrage : ( noun )
suf·frage ➡️ \ˈsə-frij, sometimes -fə-rij\
Meaning :
❌ suffering
✅ ballot, enfranchisement, franchise, vote
Example(s) :
• Even as the world entered the 21st century, some nations still did not permit women's suffrage.
1️⃣2️⃣ Phosphene : ( noun )
phos·phene ➡️ \ˈfäs-ˌfēn\
Meaning :
❌ a phosphorus compound
✅ spots of light seen after rubbing eyes
Example(s):
• I hate it when I rub my eyes and I’m left with phosphenes for ages afterwards.
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
1️⃣ Fulsome : ( adjective )
full·some ➡️ \ˈfu̇l-səm\
Meaning :
❌ full
✅ insincere
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
full·some ➡️ \ˈfu̇l-səm\
Meaning :
❌ full
✅ insincere
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
2️⃣ Noisome : ( adjective )
noi·some ➡️ \ˈnȯi-səm\
Meaning :
❌ noisy
✅ smelly, unhealthful
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
noi·some ➡️ \ˈnȯi-səm\
Meaning :
❌ noisy
✅ smelly, unhealthful
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
3️⃣ Enormity : ( noun )
enor·mi·ty ➡️ \i-ˈnȯr-mə-tē\
Meaning :
❌ enormous
✅ wickedness
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
enor·mi·ty ➡️ \i-ˈnȯr-mə-tē\
Meaning :
❌ enormous
✅ wickedness
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
4️⃣ Disinterested : ( adjective ) dis·in·ter·est·ed ➡️ \(ˌ)dis-ˈin-trə-stəd
Meaning :
❌ uninterested
✅ unbiased
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
Meaning :
❌ uninterested
✅ unbiased
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
5️⃣ Enervate : ( verb )
en·er·vate ➡️ \ˈe-nər-ˌvāt\
Meaning :
❌ energize
✅ weaken
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
en·er·vate ➡️ \ˈe-nər-ˌvāt\
Meaning :
❌ energize
✅ weaken
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
6️⃣ Fortuitous : ( adjective )
for·tu·itous ➡️ \fȯr-ˈtü-ə-təs, -ˈtyü-, fər-\
Meaning :
❌ lucky, fortunate
✅ happening by chance
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
for·tu·itous ➡️ \fȯr-ˈtü-ə-təs, -ˈtyü-, fər-\
Meaning :
❌ lucky, fortunate
✅ happening by chance
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
7️⃣ Penultimate : ( adjective ) pen·ul·ti·mate ➡️ \pi-ˈnəl-tə-mət\
Meaning :
❌ ultra ultimate
✅ before the last ,next to the last
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
Meaning :
❌ ultra ultimate
✅ before the last ,next to the last
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
8️⃣ Restive : ( adjective )
res·tive ➡️ \ˈres-tiv\
Meaning :
❌ restful
✅ stubborn, balky
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
res·tive ➡️ \ˈres-tiv\
Meaning :
❌ restful
✅ stubborn, balky
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
9️⃣ Testy : ( adjective )
tes·ty ➡️ \ˈtes-tē\
Meaning :
❌ related to test or exam
✅ choleric, crabby, cranky
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
tes·ty ➡️ \ˈtes-tē\
Meaning :
❌ related to test or exam
✅ choleric, crabby, cranky
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
1️⃣0️⃣ Inflammable :( adjective )
in·flam·ma·ble ➡️ \in-ˈfla-mə-bəl\
Meaning :
❌ nonflammable
✅ burnable, combustive, flammable
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
in·flam·ma·ble ➡️ \in-ˈfla-mə-bəl\
Meaning :
❌ nonflammable
✅ burnable, combustive, flammable
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
1️⃣1️⃣ Suffrage : ( noun )
suf·frage ➡️ \ˈsə-frij, sometimes -fə-rij\
Meaning :
❌ suffering
✅ enfranchisement, franchise, vote
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
suf·frage ➡️ \ˈsə-frij, sometimes -fə-rij\
Meaning :
❌ suffering
✅ enfranchisement, franchise, vote
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
1️⃣2️⃣ Phosphene : ( noun )
phos·phene ➡️ \ˈfäs-ˌfēn\
Meaning :
❌ a phosphorus compound
✅ spots of light seen after rubbing eyes
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12
phos·phene ➡️ \ˈfäs-ˌfēn\
Meaning :
❌ a phosphorus compound
✅ spots of light seen after rubbing eyes
#Vocabulary
#Word_Of_The_Day
#Phantonym
@PracticeMakesPerfect12