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      • Be able to is possible in all tenses - but "can" is possible only in the present and "could" is possible only in the past for ability. In addition, "can" and "could" have no infinitive form. So we use be able to when we want to use other tenses or the infinitive.
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  2. We sometimes use be able to instead of "can" or "could" for ability. Be able to is possible in all tenses - but "can" is possible only in the present and "could" is possible only in the past for ability. In addition, "can" and "could" have no infinitive form. So we use be able to when we want to use other tenses or the infinitive. Look at these ...

  3. Be able to. Be able to is often similar to can and we may use it instead of can to talk about ability. But be able to is more formal and is not as common. They are able to do the job faster than anyone else. But can only has present and past forms: can–could. For all other verb forms (infinitive, gerund, present perfect, etc.), we should use ...

  4. Apr 11, 2023 · The negative of be able to is be not able to (for present and past tenses) or not be able to (for future tenses). Here are some examples:

  5. 3 days ago · Can, could, and be able to are all used to talk about a person's ability to do something. You use can or be able to to talk about ability in the present. Be able to is more formal than can .

  6. Home. Modals in English grammar. Modals of Ability. Modals to Express Ability. The modals to express ability are 'can,' 'could,' and 'be able to.' Ability refers to the capacity or skill to do something. This can be general ability or a specific ability.

  7. Jun 9, 2021 · 1. “Be Able To” Is More Specific. The most fundamental difference between “be able to” and “can” is that “be able to” is more specific. “Can” serves many different functions. Ability: “I can speak English.” Possibility: “It can get hot in this room.” Permission: “You can leave now.” Request: “ Can you come here please?”

  8. However, can and could can’t be used in all verb tenses. If you want to use the present perfect (for example), there’s no way to use can or could , so you need to use be able to : He’s been able to swim since he was two years old. –> There’s no way to use can or could in this sentence and keep the same meaning.

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