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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Could/ be able to
Transportation systems were not able to recover within a day. This sounds more correct to me than Transportation systems could not recover within a day.
Is there any special rules regarding could/ be able to?
Is there any special rules regarding could/ be able to?
Top answer
Hi When you refer to the actual performance of an act we use 'to be able' not can. When the idea is negative either of the two is correct Examples: She was able to sing ('could sing' is incorrect) well at the concert last evening. She was not able to sing or could not sing well at the concert last evening.
- Hi When you refer to the actual performance of an act we use 'to be able' not can.
- When the idea is negative either of the two is correct Examples: She was able to sing ('could sing' is incorrect) well at the concert last evening.
- She was not able to sing or could not sing well at the concert last evening.
- So you can use 'were not able to recover' or 'could not recover' in your sentence.
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3 Answers
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Hi
When you refer to the actual performance of an act we use 'to be able' not can. When the idea is negative either of the two is correct
Examples: She was able to sing ('could sing' is incorrect) well at the concert last evening.
She was not able to sing or could not sing well at the concert last evening.
So you can use 'were not a
When you refer to the actual performance of an act we use 'to be able' not can. When the idea is negative either of the two is correct
Examples: She was able to sing ('could sing' is incorrect) well at the concert last evening.
She was not able to sing or could not sing well at the concert last evening.
So you can use 'were not a
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