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Imantaghavi Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Could / Be able to

Hi,

I wonder if both of the following choices would be possible since they both carry the sense of past ability. But I know that the second one (was able to) has the sense of achievement. What does that mean?
would anyone clarify the point?

I could swim / was able to swim by the time I was three.


Regards,

Iman
  

Top answer

I don't see that either stresses a sense of achievement, particularly, over the other. They seem synonymous to me. Where did you find that nuance?

— Mister Micawber

  • I don't see that either stresses a sense of achievement, particularly, over the other.
  • They seem synonymous to me.
  • Where did you find that nuance?
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7 Answers
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I don't see that either stresses a sense of achievement, particularly, over the other. They seem synonymous to me. Where did you find that nuance?
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Hi Mistre Micawbre,

Thank you for your reply.
I found it in New First Certificate GOLD teacher's book -Longman publication.

Iman
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When 'could'/was able to' suggest innate ability, there is usually no difference, though there can be:


I could swim by the age of three. This does not necessarily say that the speaker did swim (though it would be strange if s/he didn't.

My parents built a swimming pool before I was three, so I was able to swim every day. Here it is fairly explicit that the spea
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fivejedjonI could swim by the age of three. This does not necessarily say that the speaker did swim (though it would be strange if s/he didn't.
My parents built a swimming pool before I was three, so I was able to swim every day. Here it is fairly explicit that the speaker did swim.
I thought we were considering the case where they
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Hi fivejedjon,

Thank you for your time.
fivejedjonI was able to finish that report before I left the office yesterday He did finished the report, right?
Cheers,

Iman
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Mister MicawberI thought we were considering the case where they were both otherwise synonymous ( = ability). These seem to take different meanings (ability vs opportunity).
I think that when we have only the words "I could/was able to swim" without further context, it is difficult to say whether they mean exactly the same or not. Unfortunately, some books do
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Thank you fivejedjon and mistre Micawbre for sufficient clarifications.

Iman
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