Can/Could vs Be Able To
There is a huge interest in the difference between can or could and be able as can or could and be able to are two different usages made in the English languages and they both carry different senses with them. Can or could and to be able to are all verbs. Can is the present tense of could and could is the past tense of can. To be able to is a different verb. However, one can see that the use of can or could in the English language is much more common than the use of the verb be able to.
What does Can or Could mean?
Can is used to indicate the idea of possibility as in the sentence given below.
I can do the work.
This only gives the idea that ‘it is possible for me to do the work’. The same is true even in the case of could.
On the other hand, could is generally used as a past tense form of can as in the sentence mentioned below.
I could go.
This sentence means ‘it was possible for me to go’. Hence, the primary usage of both can and could consists in indicating the sense of possibility.
Moreover, could is sometimes used when we want to say that we had the ability to do something, but we did not try to do it as in the sentence given below.
I could have married anybody I liked.
The sense of the sentence is ‘I had the ability to marry, but I did not try after all’.
Sentences with can often give information about the behavior or the nature of the object or the place it describes as in the example given below.
The city of Brisbane can be very hot during the summer.
Generally, could is used to talk about the past as in the sentence given below.
My brother could be very helpful at times.
What does Be Able To mean?
On the other hand, be able to indicates general ability as in the sentence mentioned below.
You are certainly able to dance.
It should be noted that the usage of be able to is, of course, not very common like can and could. On the other hand, be able to is used to talk about future ability as in the sentence given below.
One day you will be able to do it.
This particular sentence is a lot different from the sentence ‘One day you can do it’.
What is the difference between Can or Could and Be Able To?
• Can is used to indicate the idea of possibility. Could is also used to indicate a possibility.
• On the other hand, could is generally used as a past tense form of can.
• Moreover, could is sometimes used when we want to say that we had the ability to do something, but we did not try to do it.
• Sentences with can often give information about the behavior or the nature of the object or the place it describes.
• 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.
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