modals: ability

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• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

modals: ability

Complete these sentences with the correct verb to indicate ability.

Whenever possible, use "can" or "could".

......... (you) meet me at 7 this evening?

1. Are you able to
2. Can you

In a few months you ....... speak French really well.

1. can
2. are able to
3. will be able to
4. may can

I think I might ..... help you.

1. can
2. be able to
3. am able to
4. could

I hate not .... to receive sattelite TV.

1. can
2. canning
3. be able to
4. being able to

I'm sorry I ..... come to your party last Friday.

1. can't
2. couldn't
3. am unable
4. wasn't able

If property prises rise any more, we .... afford to buy a house.

1. can't
2. aren't able
3. will not be able to
4. won't be able to

I .... receive any emails since yesterday.

1. can
2. can't
3. am not able to
4. have not been able to

Ann wasn't at home but I .... contact her on her phone.

1. could
2. managed to
3. succeeded in
4. had been able to

We .... get bread at the supermarket because it was sold out.

1. can't
2. couldn't
3. didn't manage to
4. didn't succeed in

However, we then ..... get some at the corner shop.

1. could
2. were able to
3. managed to
4. succeeded in

We ..... carry the couch up the stairs because it was too wide.

1. couldn't
2. weren't able
3. didn't succeed in
4. didn't manage to

How well do you understand the different ways of talking about ability in English?

1. Perfectly
2. Very well
3. Not that well
4. Not at all