Fill in the blanks with can, could or be able to.
1This game ............... be played by two people.
Wrong!
Use "can" for general possibility in a passive sentence.
2How many mangoes ............... get at the market yesterday?
Wrong!
Use "were you able to" to ask about success on one specific past occasion (yesterday); "are you able to" and "can you" refer to the present.
3She ............... speak six languages, so she often works as an interpreter.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "can" and "is able to" express present ability here.
4Chennai ............... be very warm in summer.
Wrong!
Use "can" to talk about what is sometimes possible or typical.
5Even if I had entered, I ............... the race, so I didn’t enter it.
Wrong!
Use "couldn't have won" for an impossible result in an imagined past situation.
6I ............... the race if I had tried.
Wrong!
Use "could have won" for a past possibility that did not happen.
7I ............... understand what you want, so please explain it again.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "can't" and "am unable to" express lack of present ability here.
8One day, I ............... afford a home and a car.
Wrong!
Use "will be able to" for future ability.
9I might ............... come.
Wrong!
Use "be able to" after the modal verb "might".
10War ............... break out any day.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "can" and "could" express possibility in this sentence.
11............... I ask you something if you are not too busy?
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "Can" and "Could" are natural ways to ask permission politely here.
12You ............... borrow my car if you asked.
Wrong!
Use "could" in the main clause of this second conditional sentence.
Answers
- This game can be played by two people.
- How many mangoes were you able to get at the market yesterday?
- She can / is able to speak six languages, so she often works as an interpreter.
- Chennai can be very warm in summer.
- Even if I had entered, I couldn’t have won the race, so I didn’t enter it.
- I could have won the race if I had tried.
- I can’t / am unable to understand what you want, so please explain it again.
- One day, I will be able to afford a home and a car.
- I might be able to come.
- War can / could break out any day.
- Can / Could I ask you something if you are not too busy?
- You could borrow my car if you asked.