How to Use Can, Could and Be Able To - English Modal Verbs for Ability

英文語法 — 情態助動詞 能力

Hello, I'm Oli.

您好，我是Oli。

Welcome to Oxford Online English.

歡迎來到Oxford Online English。

In this lesson, you can learn about using modal verbs to express ability.

在本節課裡，您可以學習用 情態助動詞來表達能力。

If you don't know what modal verbs are, or why you should care about them, watch this

如果您不知道情態助動詞是什麼， 或者為什麼您必須留意它們，

lesson, which gives you an introduction to the topic.

看一下可以介紹這個 主旨的本課程。

So in this lesson, we're going to focus on using the verbs 'can' and 'could' to talk

那麼，在這節課，我們會關注 使用情態助動詞“can‘和”could“來

about ability.

談論能力。

You will also learn about the verbs 'be able to' and 'managed to'.

您也會學習動詞”be able to“ 和”managed to“。

These verbs are not modal verbs, but we can't use 'can' or 'could' in every situation to

這些動詞不是情態助動詞，但是我們不能 在每一種情形下用”can“或

talk about ability, so we sometimes need to use a different, non-modal verb.

”could“來談論能力，所以我們有時需要 用不同的、非情態助動詞。

First of all, let's look at using 'can' and 'could' to talk about ability.

首先，我們看看用”can“和 ”could“來談論能力。

You can use 'can' to talk about abilities in the present or the future.

您可以用”can“現在式或 將來式來談論能力。

For example: "She can speak Spanish very well."

例如：”She can speak Spanish very well.“

Or: "Can you come with us on Saturday?"

或者：”Can you come with us on Saturday?“

You can also use 'could' to talk about general abilities in the past.

您也能用”could“過去式 來談論一般能力。

For example: "I could run much faster when I was younger."

例如：”I could run much faster when I was younger.“

'When I was younger' is a general ability, so I could run faster any time I wanted.

”When I was younger“是一般能力， 所以我隨時都可以跑得很快。

"She could play the violin when she was a child."

”She could play the violin when she was a child.“

Again, this is a general ability about a longer period in the past.

同樣，這是一個在過去 長期擁有的一般能力。

This is quite simple, and I'm sure you're familiar with it.

這很簡單， 我確定您明白它。

However, there are many situations where you can't use 'can' or 'could' to talk about ability,

然而，有很多您不能用”can“或 ”could“來談論能力的情形，

and we need to use a different verb.

我們要用不同的動詞。

One of these verbs is 'be able to'.

這些動詞裡的一個是"be able to"。

Generally, 'can' and 'be able to' have the same meaning.

一般來說，”can“和”be able to“ 有相同的意思。

So, you can usually use either verb without any difference in meaning: "She can speak

所以，您可以常用任何一個動詞而沒有 任何含義上的差別：”She can speak

Spanish very well," or: "She's able to speak Spanish very well."

Spanish very well," 或：“She's able to speak Spanish very well.”

These two sentences have the same meaning.

這兩句有相同的意思。

"I could run much faster when I was younger," or: "I was able to run much faster when I

“I could run much faster when I was younger,” 或：“I was able to run much faster when I

was younger."

was younger.”

Again, there's no difference in meaning between these two sentences.

同樣，在這兩句之間 沒有意思上的差別。

However, you can't use 'can' or 'could' in every verb tense.

然而，您不能在每一個動詞 時態用“can”或“could”。

If you want to use, for example, the present perfect form, there's no form of 'can' or

如果您想用，例如，現在 完成式，沒有

'could' which you can use.

您能用的“can”或”could“。

So in these cases, you need to use a form of 'be able to'.

那麼在這些事例裡，您要用 ”be able to“的一個形式。

For example: "He's been able to swim since he was two years old."

例如：”He's been able to swim since he was two years old.“

There's no way to use 'can' or 'could' in this sentence and keep the same meaning.

在這句裡，不能用”can“或 ”could“並保留相同的意思。

We have to use 'be able to'.

我們必須用”be able to“。

"I like being able to choose my own working hours."

”I like being able to choose my own working hours.“

After the verb 'like', we need a verb with '-ing', so we need to use 'be able to'.

在動詞”like“之後，我們要用一個有”-ing“的動詞， 這樣我們要用”be able to“。

Again, there's no way to use 'can' or 'could' in this sentence.

同樣，不能在這句裡 用”can“或”could“。

There are many cases like this.

有很多類似這樣的事例。

Generally, if you have a choice, it's better to use 'can' or 'could', because it makes

一般來說，如果您有一個選擇，最好是用 ”can“或”could“，因為

your sentence simpler and shorter.

這樣您的語句會更簡短。

We sometimes choose to use 'be able to', even when 'can' or 'could' are possible, because

即使在”can“或”could“可以用時，我們 有時選擇用”be able to“，因為

it sounds more formal.

那聽起來更正式。

OK, now let's look at ability in the past: 'could' vs. 'be able to'.

好，現在過去時態下的能力： “could” vs“be able to”。

This gets a little bit more complicated.

這有點複雜。

Let's look at an example sentence: "The traffic was really bad, but we could catch our train."

我們來看一個例句：“The traffic was really bad, but we could catch our train.”

Does it sound right to you?

那聽起來對嗎？

What do you think?

您怎麼想？

If you said it sounds wrong, you're actually correct; this sentence is not right, it's

如果您說聽起來是錯的，實際上您 說對了；這句不正確，

not possible.

那是不可能的。

Do you know why?

您知道為什麼嗎？

The answer is this sentence is talking about a specific ability at a specific moment in

這句的回答是在談論 一個過去的特定

the past.

時刻的特定能力。

In this case, you can't use 'could'; you need to use a different verb.

在這個例句裡，您不能用“could”； 您要用一個不同的動詞。

You could say: "The traffic was really bad, but we were able to catch our train."

您可以說：“The traffic was really bad, but we were able to catch our train.”

Or: "The traffic was really bad, but we managed to catch our train."

或者：“The traffic was really bad, but we managed to catch our train.”

In both of these sentences, we're talking about one moment, one train.

在這兩句裡，我們在談論 一個時刻、一列火車。

It's a specific situation; that means we can't use 'could'; we must use 'be able to' or 'managed

那是一個特定的情形；那意味著我們不能用 “could”；我們必須用“be able to”

to'.

或者“managed to”。

Let's look at some more examples.

我們來看一些例句。

"It was hard work, but we managed to finish everything on time."

“It was hard work, but we managed to finish everything on time.”

That means we finished something specific, at a specific moment.

那意思是我們在特定時刻完成了 某些特定的事情。

"Our car broke down on the way, but luckily I was able to fix it."

"Our car broke down on the way, but luckily I was able to fix it."

I fixed it at a specific moment; it wasn't a general thing.

我在某個特定的時刻修理好它；那 不是一件一般的事情。

There's one more important point here, which makes it even a little bit more complicated.

即使它會變得有點更複雜， 在這裡，有一個要點。

This difference between general and specific situations only applies to positive sentences.

一般情形和特定情形之間的 區別僅適用於肯定句。

If your sentence is negative, there's no difference between 'could' and 'be able to'.

如果您的語句是否定的， “could”和 “be able to”之間沒有區別。

It's like most other cases: you can choose which verb to use and it doesn't matter.

那就像大多數的例句：您選擇 用哪一個動詞，那都沒問題。

"It was hard work, and we couldn't finish everything on time."

"It was hard work, and we couldn't finish everything on time."

Or: "It was hard work, and we weren't able to finish everything on time."

或者： "It was hard work, and we weren't able to finish everything on time."

Because these sentences are negative, it doesn't matter if the situation is general or specific;

因為這些例句是否定的，無論情形是一般的 或特定的，它都沒有問題；

it's now possible to use both forms: 'couldn't' or 'weren't able to'.

用兩個形式也是可能的：“couldn't” 或“weren't able to”。

Again, there's no difference in meaning in this case.

同樣，在這個例句， 意思上沒有區別。

So, to review, 'can/could' or 'be able to' generally have the same meaning, unless you're

那麼，來複習一下，“can/could”或“be able to” 通常有相同的意思，除非您

talking about a specific situation in the past, and the sentence is positive.

在談論一個過去的特定情形， 語句是肯定式。

If you're not sure about this, remember you can always use 'be able to' in every case

如果您不確定這個，記住您總是 能在每件事上用“be able to”，

and never be wrong.

並從來都不會有錯。

Next, let's look at 'could' in more detail.

接下來，我們看看“could”的更多細節。

'Could' has two meanings.

“Could”有兩個意思。

Look at two sentences: "I couldn't help you because I had too much to do."

看兩個例句：“I couldn't help you because I had too much to do.”

"I couldn't help you even if I wanted to."

"I couldn't help you even if I wanted to."

In these two sentences, the verb 'could' is used in different ways.

在這兩個例句裡，用不同的方式 來使用助動詞“could”。

Can you see the difference?

您能找出區別嗎？

Here's a question to check your understanding: how would you use 'be able to' in these two

有一個問題來檢測您的理解： 您怎麼在這兩個例句裡

sentences?

用“be able to”？

If you want to think about your answer, pause the video and think about it.

如果您想考慮您的回答，暫停 影片並開始考慮它。

In the first sentence, "I couldn't help you because I had too much to do," the meaning

在例句一："I couldn't help you because I had too much to do,"

is past.

意思是在過去的。

If we use 'be able to', we would say: "I wasn't able to help you because I had too much to

如果我們用“be able to”，我們要說："I wasn't able to help you because I

do."

had too much to do.“

In the second sentence, 'could' has a hypothetical or conditional meaning.

在例句二，”could“有一個假設 或條件的意思。

To use 'be able to', we would say, "I wouldn't be able to help you even if I wanted to."

要用”be able to“，我們要說，”I wouldn't be able to help you even if I wanted to.“

So 'could' can have two different meanings; a past meaning and a hypothetical meaning.

所以”could“能有兩個不同的意思； 一個過去的意思和一個假設的意思。

You need to use the context of the sentence or the situation to understand what 'could'

您要用語句的上下文或語境 來理解”could“是什麼

means.

意思。

For example: "Why couldn't he do it last week?"

例如："Why couldn't he do it last week?"

The time marker 'last week' shows you that this sentence is past, and that 'could' has

時間標識”last week“告訴您這個 例句是過去式，”could“有

a past meaning.

一個過去的意思。

"We could work together, if you wanted."

"We could work together, if you wanted."

Again, the end of the sentence with 'if' shows you that 'could' has a hypothetical meaning.

同樣，句末有”if“的語句告訴您 ”could“有一個假設的意思

OK, let's review the important points from this lesson.

好，我們來複習本節課的要點。

You can use 'can' or 'could' to talk about abilities in the past, present or future.

您可以用”can“或”could“來談論 過去、現在或未來的能力。

'Can/could' and 'be able to' usually have the same meaning.

”Can/could“和”be able to“ 通常有相同的意思。

Sometimes you need to use 'be able to', for example if you need to use a verb with '-ing',

有時，例如，如果您用一個有”-ing“的

or if you need to use the present perfect tense, or some other tense where 'can/could'

動詞，或是如果您要用現在完成 時態，或一些其他的不存在

don't exist.

”can/could“的時態，您要用”be able to“。

In the past, 'could' and 'was/were able to' are sometimes different.

在過去式，”could“和”was/were able to“ 有時是不同的。

If you are talking about a specific situation, and the sentence is positive, you can only

如果您在談論一個特定的環境， 語句是肯定的，您僅能

use 'was/were able to', or 'managed to'.

用”was/were able to“或”managed to“。

Finally, 'could' can have two different meanings.

最後，”could“可以有兩種不同的意思。

It can have a past meaning, the same as 'was/were able to', or it can have a hypothetical meaning,

它可以有過去的意思，與”was/were able to“相同，或它有一個假設的意思，

like 'would be able to'.

像是”would be able to“。

OK, that's the end of the lesson.

好，本節課就到這。

I hope it was useful for you.

我希望它對您有用。

If you want to see the full version of this lesson, you can check it out on our website.

如果您想看本節課的完整版本， 您可以訪問我們的網站。

The full lesson includes a text, so you can read and review everything.

全部的課程包含有文字，所以您可以 閱讀並複習每一個要點。

There's also a quiz to help you practise the topic and check that you've understood everything.

也有一個隨堂測驗來幫您做與這個主旨 有關的練習，並檢查您理解了所有的內容。

OK, that's all.

好，就到這。

Thanks again for watching, and I'll see you next time.

再次感謝觀看，下次見。

Bye bye!

再見！