Modals expressing past ability
I could swim when I was 5.
I was able to swim when I was 5.
This means that I knew how to swim and I did. But the past ability to perform a particular actionA general term expressing that somebody or something does something is expressed by was/were able to, which means managed to do something, succeeded in something/doing something on one occasion.
I was able to swim to the other bank.
In this sentence could is not possible. However, this rule is relaxed in the negativeA declarative sentence indicating "no". E.g.: Tim has no friends. and with verbA part of speech that expresses an action or a state. E.g.: John seldom plays tennis.s of the senses:
I read it but I couldn't / wasn't able to understand it.
I could/was able to see him through the window.
I couldn't walk / wasn't able to walk any further.
Topics with similar tags
The following topics share one or more tags with the one you are viewing and may also be interesting.
- Modals in the main clause of third conditional sentences
- Modals in the IF-clause of third conditional sentences
- Modals in the main clause of second conditional sentences
- Modals in the IF-clause of second conditional sentences
- Modals expressing past willingness / unwillingness
- Modals expressing past possibility
- Modals expressing past permission / prohibition
- Modals expressing "past offers"
- Modals expressing past criticism
- Modals expressing past certainty / uncertainty
Comments and questions
Post new comment