by PushtoLearn
Verbo modal Can, Could, Be Able to en inglés: usos, ejemplos y ejercicios
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Can, Could, Be Able to – Ejercicios
Estos ejercicios se enfocan en Can, Could y Be Able to para expresar habilidad y posibilidad.
La diferencia entre "Can", "Could" y "Be Able To"
|
Forma |
Uso |
Ejemplo |
|
Can |
Habilidad presente o general, permiso o posibilidad |
She can swim very well. (Ability) |
|
Could |
Habilidad en el pasado, solicitudes corteses o posibilidad |
When I was five, I could ride a bike. (Past ability) |
|
Be able to |
Todos los tiempos; situaciones formales |
He will be able to help tomorrow. (Future ability) |
Cómo usar “Can”
✅ “Can” para habilidad en el presente
(I can speak three languages. / She can run 5 km without stopping.)
✅ “Can” para posibilidad
(It can get very cold in winter. / This road can be dangerous at night.)
✅ “Can” para permiso
(Can I leave early today? / You can take a break now.)
🚨 Error común:
❌ I can to swim. (Incorrecto)
✅ I can swim. (Correcto – "can" va seguido del verbo en su forma base)
Cómo usar “Could”
✅ “Could” para habilidad en el pasado
(When I was a child, I could run very fast. / She could play the piano when she was five.)
✅ “Could” para solicitudes corteses
(Could you help me, please? / Could I borrow your pen?)
✅ “Could” para posibilidad
(It could rain later, so take an umbrella. / That could be the answer to our problem.)
🚨 Error común:
❌ I could to play the guitar. (Incorrecto)
✅ I could play the guitar. (Correcto – "could" va seguido del verbo en su forma base)
Cómo usar “Be Able To”
✅ “Be Able To” para habilidad en presente y futuro
(She is able to solve complex math problems. / He will be able to join us next week.)
✅ “Be Able To” para habilidad en el pasado (situaciones específicas)
(I was able to fix my car yesterday. / She was able to escape from the burning building.)
🚨 “Be able to” se usa en tiempos donde “can” no es posible.
|
Tiempo |
“Can” |
“Be able to” |
|
Presente |
She can swim. |
She is able to swim. |
|
Pasado |
She could swim. |
She was able to swim. |
|
Futuro |
❌ (No se puede usar) |
She will be able to swim. |
🚨 Error común:
❌ I will can help you tomorrow. (Incorrecto)
✅ I will be able to help you tomorrow. (Correcto – se necesita "be able to" para habilidad futura)
Errores comunes y cómo corregirlos
|
Error |
Corrección |
¿Por qué? |
|
❌ I can to dance. |
✅ I can dance. |
"Can" va seguido del verbo en su forma base. |
|
❌ I will can go. |
✅ I will be able to go. |
"Can" no se usa en futuro. |
|
❌ I was able to run fast when I was a child. |
✅ I could run fast when I was a child. |
“Could” es mejor para habilidad general en pasado. |
FAQ
¿Puedo usar “can” en pasado?
No, en su lugar usa “could” o “was/were able to”.
I could swim when I was 5. (Habilidad general en el pasado)
I was able to find my keys. (Situación específica en el pasado
¿Se puede usar “could” para habilidad futura?
No, usa “will be able to” para habilidad en el futuro.
❌ I could go tomorrow. (Incorrecto)
✅ I will be able to go tomorrow. (Correcto)
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre “could” y “was able to” en el pasado?
“Could” se usa para habilidad general (I could swim as a child).
“Was able to” se usa para una situación específica (I was able to swim across the lake yesterday).
¿Puedo usar “be able to” en lugar de “can”?
Sí, pero “be able to” suena más formal.
She can speak Spanish. (Natural)
She is able to speak Spanish. (Más formal)
¿Cuál es más cortés: “Can you” o “Could you”?
“Could you” es más cortés.
Can you help me? (Casual)
Could you help me? (Más cortés)
