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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

When 'be able to' and 'could' work well as substitutes

Hi.

Do you think we can use both 'could' and 'was able to' in the situations below?

1.I could/was able to dance well when I was a sixteen-year-old kid.
2.I couldn't/wasn't able to dance well when I was a fifteen-year-old kid.
3. I could/was able to dance well when I was a young kid.
4. I could/was able to dance well when I was a young kid.
5.I couldn't/wasn't able to dance well at the rehearsal two days ago.
  

Top answer

Anonymous Do you think we can use both 'could' and 'was able to' in the situations below? Yes, though 5. seems better to me with "wasn't able to".

— CalifJim

  • Anonymous Do you think we can use both 'could' and 'was able to' in the situations below?
  • Yes, though 5.
  • seems better to me with "wasn't able to".
  • ) CJ
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3 Answers
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AnonymousDo you think we can use both 'could' and 'was able to' in the situations below?
Yes, though 5. seems better to me with "wasn't able to".

(3 and 4 are the same.)

CJ
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Thank you. For no. 4, I think I was going to make it negative. Do you think this is correct? Do you think both work?

4. I couldn't/wasn't able to dance well when I was a young kid.
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Anonymous I was going to make it negative.
That's OK. It works in the negative as well.

CJ
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