a) Yeteneklerimizi ifade ederken "can" ya da "be able to" kullanırız.
He can speak two foreign languages fluently.
He is able to speak two foreign languages fluently.
My son doesn't attend school yet, but he can/Is able to read and write already.
lumsuz cümlede "can't" ve "am/is/are not able to" kullanılır. O
He can run very long distances, but he can't run very fast.
He is able to run very long distances, but he Isn't able to run very fast.
I can speak English, but I can't speak French.
I'm able to speak English, but I'm not able to speak French.
ELS a
"Be able to" diğer tense'lere göre çekimlenebilir.
He Is able to speak very good English. (Present)
He has been able to speak English for ten years. (Present Perfect) He was able to speak good English when he was a child. (Simple Past) He will be able to speak English even better when he stays in England for some time. (Future)
He should be able to speak English well, because he has been living in England for six years. (With other modals)
He had been able to speak English for five years when he went to England.
(Past Perfect)
b) "Can" yapılması mümkün olan ya da potansiyel olarak gerçekleşme gücüne sahip olayları ifade ederken de kullanılır.
I'll finish my work in an hour, so I can help you then.
(It's possible for me to help you after I finish my work.) I'm very busy now, so I can't help you.
(It's not possible for me to help you now.)
Overexposure to the sun's rays can lead to skin cancer.
(Overexposure to the sun's rays has the potential to lead to skin cancer.) (It is possible that Overexposure to the sun's rays will lead to skin cancer.) If not treated properly, this injury can develop into a more serious one.
(...it's possible that this injury will develop into a more serious one.) c) "Can", birine bir şey yapması için izin verilirken de kullanılır. Bu kullanımıyla "can",
"may" ile aynı anlamı verir.
(The shop owner to the customer)
- You can/may leave your purchases here until you finish your shopping.
Then you can come and get them.
(Mother to her daughter)
- Because tomorrow is a holiday, you can/may stay up late tonight.
(Father to his son)
- You can/may go on your date in my car if you wish.
(The teacher to the students)
- Those who have finished answering the questions can/way leave the classroom.
d) "Can" in past biçimi "could", "be able to" nun past biçimi ise "was/were able to" dur.
I could run very fast when I was a child.
I was able to run very fast when I was a child.
Some students in my previous class could/were able to speak English almost fluently, but they weren't so good at grammar.
"Could", geçmişteki yeteneklerimizi ya da geçmişte izin verme gibi durumları ifade ederken kullanılır. Geçmişte izin ifade eden durumlar için "was/were allowed to" da yaygın kullanılan bir kalıptır.
Mozart could play the piano when he was only four, (ability in the past) My grandfather was very strong. He could lift enormous boxes on his own.
(ability in the past)
It was raining heavily. We could go out only when it had stopped raining.
(permission in the past)
(= We were allowed to go out only when the rain had stopped.) 1X2 O ELS
'Was/were able to" da, geçmişteki yeteneklerimizi ya da geçmişteki izin verme durumlarını ifade ederken kullanılır. Ancak, "geçmişte zor bir durumun üstesinden gelme" anlamı (manage to do), sadece "was/were able to" ile ifade edilir. "Could" bu anlamda kullanılmaz.
(ability in the past) ,
He was a good swimmer when he was a child.
He could/was able to swim faster than all the other children.
I had a good voice when I was younger.
I could/was able to sing very well, especially folk songs.
(permission in the past)
When their maths teacher didn't come, the students were able to/were allowed to leave school earlier than usual.
(one specific event in the past: only "was/were able to")
The maths exam was very difficult yesterday, but I was able to get a high grade, anyway.
(/ managed to get a high grade although the exam was difficult.)
I overslept yesterday, and missed the bus, but I was able to get to work on time by taxi.
(/ managed to get to work on time by taxi.)
Last month, there was a huge fire in our street. Luckily, the fire brigade came just in time to extinguish it, so everybody was able to escape unhurt.
Örneklerde gördüğünüz gibi, "was able to", "geçmişte belli bir olayın (a specific event) üstesinden gelme" anlamını ifade ediyor. Şimdi şu iki örneği karşılaştıralım.
When I was a child, I could/was able to run very fast.
I could/was able to beat anyone who raced with me. (ability in the past) Once, I raced with a school friend of mine. She was also a fast runner. It was a hard race for me, but I was able to beat her in the end. (one specific event in the past)
Olumsuz ifadelerde, her üç durum için de (ability, giving permission or one specific event in the past), "couldn't" ya da "wasn't/weren't able to" kullanabiliriz. "Couldn't" daha yaygın kullanılır.
I couldn't/wasn't able to use a computer just three months ago, but now I can.
The students didn't want to have a test that day, but they couldn't/weren't able to persuade the teacher to cancel it.
EXERCISE 9: Use "could" or "was/were able to" in the following, ("was/were able to" is possible in all of these statements, but you are required to use "could' to express "ability or permission in the past', and "was/were able to" to express "to overcome a difficult situation".
1. He (swim) ...very long distances when he was a teenager, but after years of heavy smoking, he no longer can.
2.We had been warned that our flight might be delayed this morning, but the pilot take off despite heavy fog.
3.Because she ... sing better than anyone in the class, she was asked to do a solo at the graduation ball.
: ELS a 113
4. Some terrorists telephoned the police to warn that they had planted a bomb in the local shopping centre. Luckily, the police... evacuate the area before it exploded.
5.We stayed at a beautiful seaside town for our summer holiday, and on a clear day, from our hotel room, we...see lots of little fishing-boats on the horizon.
6.The climber was suffering from frostbite and hypothermia, but, luckily, the rescue team...find him before he froze to death.
7.Although they had locked themselves out of their apartment, they...
get in through the bathroom window.
8.My old flat was behind the Bromsgrove Rovers' football stadium, and on match days, we (hear) ... the cheers of the crowd.
9.We used to live in the mountains, so in winter, we (go) ... skiing whenever we liked.
10. I'm glad we ...persuade the teacher to put tomorrow's exam off till next Monday. Now we'll have plenty of time to revise.
EXERCISE 10: Use any form of "can" or "be able to". (Simple Present, Present Perfect, Simple Past, Past Perfect or Future) In some cases, both are possible, but In some, only "be able to" is possible.
1. The baby (walk) ...in a few days, I think. She (already, take) ...
a few steps by herself.
2. He had an accident last month and broke his leg, so he (not, walk) ...
since then.
3.The driver of the bus suddenly had a heart attack, and the bus began to veer from side to side. Luckily, he (stop) ... the bus before it crashed.
4.I (never, form) ...a good relationship with my boss until I proved myself to be efficient at work. We have been on excellent terms since.
5. The children (have) ... as much fruit as they like, but please don't give them any sweets.
6.The workers had been threatening to strike for many weeks, but, in the end, the management (avert) ...it.
7.If my father (not, find} ... a job soon, I'm afraid we (not, go) ...
on holiday this summer because we'll have used up all our savings by then.
8. My son (concentrate) ...a lot better during his classes since he started seeing a psychologist.
9. We (not, make) ... any important decisions at the meeting tomorrow as the managing director (not, attend) ...because of his illness.
10. There aren't many people who (speak) ...two languages fluently, let alone five, like him.
11.In 1983, Sarah lost her sight in one eye after a fall, but fortunately, doctors (restore) her sight partially after a successful operation.
12.The ambulance men worked quickly when they arrived at the scene of the accident.
Within minutes they (free) ...the driver, who had been trapped behind the steering wheel of his car.
13. Come and listen to your Uncle Stan, Joe. He hasn't visited us for three years. You (play) ...basketball with your friends any day.
14. When I was at university, I (not, afford) ...to wear fashionable clothes, but after I'd started work, I (buy) ... any clothes I wanted from all my favourite shops.
15. While erecting some fencing on a steep bank, one worker accidentally dislodged a large rock, which rolled down the bank towards his partner. The man shouted to his work-mate, who, luckily, (get) ...out of the way just in time.
y
114 Q ELS NOT BAD, BUT...
A successful young businessman was showing off his new Porsche to his grandmother. After taking her for a spin, he helped her climb out of the expensive vehicle. "What do you think?" he asked, beaming.
"It's not bad, I suppose," she replied. "But hopefully, when your business finally picks up, you'll be able to afford something with four doors."