Unit 29: Talking about Ability in the Past
Can-do Goal
I can talk about ability in the past.
We use special grammar to say what people could do or could not do before.
Examples:
- I could swim when I was six.
- She couldn't drive last year.
- He was able to finish the race.
- We were not able to come to the party.
Ability in the Past
When we talk about the past, we often talk about things people could do and could not do.
These abilities may be skills, actions, or activities.
Grammar 1: Could
Form
Subject + could + base verb
| Subject | Grammar |
|---|---|
| I | could swim |
| She | could sing |
| They | could play football |
Examples:
- I could ride a bike when I was seven.
- My brother could speak English very well.
- They could play chess at school.
Use could for a general ability in the past.
It means the person had the skill or ability.
Grammar 2: Was Able To / Were Able To
Form
Subject + was/were able to + base verb
| Subject | Grammar |
|---|---|
| I / He / She | was able to finish |
| We / You / They | were able to finish |
Examples:
- She was able to find her keys.
- We were able to catch the bus.
- They were able to solve the problem.
Was able to and were able to often talk about a successful action in the past.
It means the person succeeded.
Grammar 3: Couldn't / Was Not Able To
Negative Forms
Subject + couldn't + base verb
Subject + was/were not able to + base verb
Examples:
- I couldn't swim when I was four.
- She couldn't open the door.
- He was not able to come yesterday.
- We were not able to finish the game.
Couldn't means "could not".
Use these forms when a person did not have the ability or did not succeed.
Quick Comparison
| Meaning | Grammar | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Past ability | could | I could swim. |
| Past success | was/were able to | She was able to find it. |
| Past inability | couldn't | They couldn't drive. |
| Past failure | was/were not able to | We were not able to come. |
Worked Example 1
Situation: Anna learned swimming at age 8.
Question: What can we say?
Answer: Anna could swim when she was eight.
We use could because it is a past ability.
🔑 Đáp án & Giải thích
Dùng could để nói về khả năng trong quá khứ. Anna biết bơi lúc 8 tuổi nên câu đúng là: "Anna could swim when she was eight."
Worked Example 2
Situation: Tom tried to catch the train and he succeeded.
Answer: Tom was able to catch the train.
We use was able to because Tom successfully did the action.
🔑 Đáp án & Giải thích
Dùng was able to khi muốn nhấn mạnh một hành động đã thành công trong quá khứ. Tom bắt được tàu nên câu đúng là: "Tom was able to catch the train."
Worked Example 3
Situation: Lucy did not know how to drive last year.
Answer: Lucy couldn't drive last year.
We use couldn't for lack of ability in the past.
🔑 Đáp án & Giải thích
Couldn't là dạng rút gọn của could not. Nó diễn tả không có khả năng làm việc gì trong quá khứ. Vì Lucy chưa biết lái xe nên dùng: "Lucy couldn't drive last year."
Remember!
- Use could for past ability.
- Use was able to / were able to for successful actions in the past.
- Use couldn't for past inability.
- Use was not able to / were not able to for unsuccessful actions.
- After could and able to, use the base verb.