Lesson 116 👩‍🏫 Basic English with Jennifer - Be Able To vs. Can

Hi everyone.

I'm Jennifer from English with Jennifer.

Do you know what this is?

It's a flagpole.

When I was a child, I could climb to the top of a flagpole.

Do you believe me?

Do you know another way to say "I could climb"?

How do we use "be able to"?

That's what we'll practice in this lesson.

You can study with my students, Flavia and Andreia.

Can you dance?

I can.

I can dance.

Say, "I can dance.

I can dance a little bit, not professionally."

I can dance.

Can Flavia dance?

Yes.

Yes, she's Brazilian.

Not professionally, but we can all dance.

Yeah.

Okay.

Yes, I can.

No, I can't.

Remember with the pronunciation, it's good to have a long vowel for "can," so people

can hear.

Yes, I can.

No, I can't.

Can't.

Can.

Can't.

Can't.

Sometimes you'll hear the /t/: can't.

Some people just cut it off.

I can't.

I can't, so it's a shorter sound.

Um, sometimes we talk about the past: what we could do as children.

I remember that you could climb trees as a girl.

You said yes.

I remember.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Could you climb trees?

Yeah.

Say, "I could do that.

Yeah, I could climb trees."

Could you climb trees?

Yeah, we could all climb trees as children.

Could, um, can we do it now?

No.

Maybe.

Maybe, but say, "When I was a child, yes, I could.

I could do that.

Now?

No, I can't.

I can't do that."

So, "can" is often...we use for our abilities.

Right now...our skills, our talents.

"Could" in the past.

Right?

I also want to talk about "be able to."

Okay?

The difference with "be able to" is we have the verb "be," which means when we're talking

in the present we have "is/are" and, of course, "am" for "I."

When we're talking in the past, we have "was" and "were."

So, this one changes.

Right?

Those ones don't, so we can talk about what we're able to (do).

Right now, I'm not able to climb a tree, but when I was a kid I was able to climb trees.

I was able to climb flagpoles.

You know, like a pole with a flag?

Oh.

Yeah.

I could climb flagpoles.

I was able to climb flagpoles.

Yeah.

Flagpole.

With a flag.

This is a flag.

Yeah.

Yes.

You know.

Oh!

Yeah.

I could climb flagpoles.

I was able to do that.

Yeah, and I was able to, like, I could climb and I was able to stay there for a little

while and look.

Yeah.

I was able to do that.

"I was able."

I could say, "I could climb.

I could climb flagpoles.

I was able to."

I have to change the verb "be" for present or past.

I was able to do that.

It's the same meaning?

Basically, yes.

We often use "be able to" or more often we use "be able to" in the past.

I think less in the present.

We also use "be able to" when it's something difficult.

Maybe if you're successful, maybe you're not.

It's not easy to climb a flagpole.

Yeah, I was able to do that.

Not everyone is able to do that.

I was able to climb a flagpole.

I can't right now, but it's something I could do as a child, so right now I'm going to ask

you to change sentences.

I wrote some sentences, and I want you to change them using "be able to."

For example, if I talk about my boots, I can say, "I got a good price."

I got a good price.

You can change that and say, "Ah, I was able to get a good price."

What was I able to do?

I got a good price.

Ah, you were able to get a good price.

Take the verb and use "be able."

I was able/you were able to get a good price.

To + (base) verb.

You were able to get a good price.

I read the whole book in one day.

You able to...you was or you were?

You were...able to read a book in one day.

Okay.

So, often we use "be able to" with things that are slightly difficult.

Some people can.

Some people can't.

But, yeah, I was able to read that book in one day.

One day.

Okay.

Um, I memorized...I memorized all 50 states.

You were able to memorize all 50 states.

Very good.

And, um, do you know, I think it's usually in fourth grade the children have to memorize

all 50 states and capitals.

Yeah, and there's a test, so when my children were in fourth grade, I had to review to remember

because it's not easy.

Not all American adults are able to say all 50 states and all 50 capitals.

By the way, how many states are in Brazil?

How many states do you have?

We have 50.

You have fewer.

Yeah, but I don't now.

Oh, you should know.

That's your homework.

So, maybe not all Brazilians are able to name all the states and all the capitals.

When I was a child, we had to memorize.

So, "As a child I...was able to name...or memorize them, but now I forget.

Yeah.

Now I'm not able to tell you.

But as a child you could.

Oh, homework assignment!

Okay.

Um, I found a good hairstylist.

You were able to found...

So, the verb can't be past tense.

"Was" is the past, so she was able to memorize, she was able to name, I was...I found a good

hairstylist.

What's the verb?

I found...and...find!

Find.

Yeah.

You were able to remember.

Sometimes it's not easy.

You were able to remember.

So, listen again.

I found a good hairstylist.

You were able to find a good style hairstylist.

Hairstyle stylist.

Do you remember the hairstylist?

We talked about jobs.

Hairstylist.

I think it's not easy to find a good hairstylist because some people don't cut the way you

want them to cut, and some people just understand what you want.

Yes, so that's why I'm saying it's something that's not easy.

It's not easy to find a good hairstylist.

I was able to find a good hairstylist, and I go to her all the time.

I don't go to anyone else.

There's a good example of the "else."

There are people who are good, and then there's everyone else.

I go to my hairstylist all the time.

Okay.

I could jump rope for a long time.

You were able to jump rope for a long time.

Yes.

Okay we couldn't find parking.

You weren't able to find a parking...parking.

Parking.

[Sneezes.]

Sorry.

Bless you.

You were not able to hold the sneeze.

It's okay.

So "were able/were not able/weren't" You weren't able to find parking.

Your turn.

Rewrite the sentence.

Use "be able to."

I'm not a good cook, but I was able to make dinner for my parents.

We were able to finish the project, but it wasn't easy.

I looked and looked, but I wasn't able to find my baby photos.

The team played hard, but they weren't able to score any goals.

When we use "be able to" remember that we change the form "be."

In the past, we use "was able to/were able to."

In the present, we use "am/is/are able to"+ (do what?)

Can we use "be able to" for the future?

Listen.

Do you want to come up here?

She wants to talk.

Okay.

We're not able to understand, but we'll try.

Okay, um, I'm going to let you try now the future.

What can we use for the future?

I'll be able to, you'll be able to, she'll be able to, he'll be able to.

We're using the contractions.

I will/I'll.

I'll be able to do that tomorrow.

You'll be able to do that tomorrow.

She'll/he'll be able to do that tomorrow.

We'll be able to do that.

They'll be able to do that.

We can also use this in the future to talk about what will be possible to do.

Can I use "could" for the future?

Only, not about...uh, if you're imagining a situation, yes.

Like, "Could you meet me tomorrow?

Is that possible?"

"Yes, I think I could."

You can, so in a polite question or a polite situation, if you're thinking about a possibility

or you're imagining a possibility, you can.

So, the question is, "When will you do your homework?"

I will be able to do the homework tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Right?

Not today, but I'll be able to do it tomorrow.

Or maybe I'll be able to do it tonight.

We use this less than "can" and "could," but it's still possible to use it, and when you

do use it, we can use it in the present, the past, and the future.

Okay?

She'll be able to do her homework tomorrow.

She'll be able to do her homework tomorrow.

Um, I know this is true.

You say, "I can't make a French braid yet."

Remember?

We talked about French braids.

The braid.

Braiding.

Oh.

French braid.

You say, "I can't make a French braid yet, but I'll learn one day."

Make a French braid.

Use the phrase "make a French braid.

I will be able to make a French braid...one day.

One day.

Is there something you can't do right now, but you're learning to do it?

When will you be able to do it?

Right now, I'm trying to play a song on the piano.

I'm learning.

It's hard, but I think I'll be able to play the song in a month or two.

Here's one last activity.

Flavia, Andreia, and I will tell a story.

We'll start and you can finish.

Listen.

So, here's the first line of the story.

"Last weekend I wanted to have a dinner party, but I wasn't able to."

Now, pause the video.

Think about what happened.

Say a few sentences and try to use "could" and "be able to."

When you're ready, continue watching and you can hear our story.

Are you ready to hear our ideas?

Here's our story.

Last weekend I wanted to have a dinner party, but I wasn't able to.

Why?

Oh!

Yeah.

You have to add now.

Um, because...

I had to take care of my children.

Okay.

I had to take care of my children.

So, last weekend I wanted to have a dinner party, but I wasn't able to because I had

to take care of my children, but the people came anyways.

So they came.

I bought food.

I was able to find good Japanese food.

And when everyone arrived,

I could relax.

Yeah.

I could relax.

Tell us the story.

You can change it a little.

It's okay.

I wanted to have a dinner party, but I was not able to.

Because I had I had to take care of my children.

But the people came.

Um, I bought food.

I was able to buy...was able to buy good Japanese food.

And everyone arrived, and I could relax.

Yeah.

When everyone arrived, I could relax.

Okay tell us the story.

That's all for now.

I hope you found this lesson interesting and useful.

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As always, thanks for watching and happy studies!

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