Hey, Alex's here. And today we're discusing Ability. So we have 3 particular for each of our words that we're looking at, we're looking at Can, Could and Be able to.

Now the first two Can and Could can be used in more situations other than speech simply speaking Ability, so you can use them to make request. Can in particular you can also use to ask permission. But today we're strictly focusing on talking about Ability.

So what is Ability?

Ability basically means like they having the skill, the power or they mean to use something.

CAN

So for Can very basic:

"I can swim"

Ok, this's a very special point we made of a sentence so. When discussing Can or when using Can we can only be used in a sentence....

Meaning that you cannot say "I can to swim", you can't do that. So the Verb that follows Can must be in a basic form. So you cannot out of "I can swimming" or "I can dancing" or "I can to dance", "I can to swim". It seemly must be the basic form of the verb.

So. Give me one moment.

We must say I can swim. Ok and if you keep in mind that this is the present form.

Now we can also use Can for a future when we're talking about the possibility of doing something in the future.

So someone asks you:

"Can you help me study for my test today?"

You can say:

"No, I can't. But I can help you tomorrow".

How ever you cannot use it for the past. So Can can only be used in the present or we're talking about the possibility of doing something in the future.

So let's write that down.

So we say:

"I can help you tomorrow".

Ok, so Can we can use it in the present and for future.

COULD

Now Could, specifically we use it when discussing about Past Possibility or Past Ability.

So you would say "My grandma could swim" if your grandma could swim in the past

So let's use that "My grandma could swim".

So my grandma had the power to swim. She could swim. And again, just like Can you must use the basic form of the verb. You cannot say "My grandma could to swim" or "My grandma could swimming".

It must be:

"My grandma could swim"

or "My grandma could walk"

"My grandma could dance"

"My grandma could sing".

She probably does all those things.

BE ABLE TO

Let's look at Be able to.

Now so far we've got the Present and the Future cover with Can when talking about our Ability. You've got the Past cover when we talk about Could. And this one, well this one cover its all.

So you can say:

"I will be able to drive" means in the future when I get my license I can drive.

Or "I was able to drive when I was sixteen years old".

So again, Be able to let's say:

"I am able to drive".

Ok so again that is the Present form of that. And again you can say "I was able to drive" or "I will be able to drive".

So just reminder:

Can you can use it for talking about your ability in the Present "I can swim" "I can drive". You can talk about it, about future possibility "I can have you tomorrow".

When talking about Could you would talk about the Past "My grandma could swim".

And when using Be able to and talking about your ability you can use it in any tense "I am able to drive" "I was able to drive" in the Past, "I will able to drive".

Ok so let that say again for you guys for a couple of moments and I will be right back.

Ok, now let's talk about the special case when using Can, Could and Be able to specifically when we talk about the Past.

Now I mention that you can use Could for talking about the past like "My grandma could drive", but when talking about specific that she mentions the Past, let's say in one something when you got something major, you cannot use Could.

So here is the example I have here. It could be better if I go to this side so you guys can see it. So:

I...(blank)........ win the spelling bee.

So "the spelling bee"  is a specific achievement. Ok, and if something that happen in the past, so would we say "I could win the spelling bee" when we're talking about the past...uhm...doesn't sound quite right.

So we would say "I was able to win the spelling bee".

Ok, so I hope that it clear enough a bit that it is one special special exception that I hope will stay with you guys. So thank you for watching and for more videos, please check out Engvid.com. Hope see you guys later, take care.