What is the difference between can and able to?

Can, could, and be able to are all used to talk about a person’s ability to do something. You use can or be able to to talk about ability in the present. Be able to is more formal than can. You can all read and write.

Can be could be difference?

The modal verbs can and could represent the ability of a person or thing in doing something. However, there is a difference in their usage, as ‘can’ is used in present situation, whereas we can use ‘could’ for talking about a past ability. Both are followed by a base form of the verb.

Could or could be able?

Could expresses possibility, while would expresses certainty and intent. A good way to remember the differences between these two words is simply to bring each word back to its root verb. Could is the past tense of can. Would is the past tense of will.

Can and could sentences?

She can speak several languages. He can swim like a fish. She could speak several languages. They couldn’t dance very well.

Can you able to or are you able to?

So when you’re talking about a specific ability ‘to be able to’ is the correct choice. So, in these examples, we used different words to express ability in the past. It’s a little trickier, isn’t it? But fortunately, the negative form is the same in general and specific situations in the past.

Can you or could you which is correct?

“Could” is the polite form of “can”—so both are correct, but we use them in different situations. We use “can” when we are telling someone to do something. We use “could” when we are making a request.

Would you be able to VS could you?

‘Could You’ imply that somebody has the ability to do something. ‘Could’ can also be termed as Can in the grammar but have a distinct meaning. ‘Could’ is used in case if someone is requesting to do something. ‘Would You’ is similar to ‘Could You’, but ‘Would You’ is an appropriate way of asking something to someone.

Can you could you difference?

To summarize, ‘can’ is the present tense version of the word and ‘could’ is the past tense version of the word. ‘Could’ is also used when a condition must be fulfilled in order for the thing to happen. When asking someone to do something, either word can be used, but ‘could’ is considered to be more polite.

How can use could?

We use could to show that something is possible, but not certain:

They could come by car. (= Maybe they will come by car.)
It can be very cold here in winter.
That can’t be true.
It’s ten o’clock.
It could be very cold there in winter.
They know the way here.
She can speak several languages.
I can see you.

Can be able to in sentence?

Coming to the question, the word ‘can’ in itself speaks of our ability to do something. Adding ‘able to’ to the sentence is redundant and grammatically wrong purely because, it adds no meaning to the existing sentence. For example, if you say, “I can open the door” it means that you have the ability to open the door.

Can you and could you difference?

Originally Answered: What is the difference between can you and could you? ‘Can you’ is used to question the ability of the person you are directing this statement at, while ‘could you’ is a request irrespective of whether the person possesses the ability to do what is being asked of him/her.

What is the difference between could and be able to?

• Generally, could is used to talk about the past. • On the other hand, be able to indicates general ability. • However, the use of be able to is not very common like can and could.

What is the difference between’could’and’be able to’?

• Generally, could is used to talk about the past. • On the other hand, be able to indicates general ability. • However, the use of be able to is not very common like can and could. • On the other hand, be able to is used to talk about future ability.

How do you use the word to be able to?

To be able to is used to talk about ability, just like can and could. I am able to drive. She used to be able to sing. He is able to cook well. One of the great things about to be able to, is that it can be used in past, present, and future tenses!

Was/were able to or was able to?

Was/were able to is also possible. Study the examples given below. She could read when she was three. OR She was able to read when she was three. Again, in spoken English, we are less likely to use was able to. As you can see in all of these sentences, we were talking about general ability.