Can, Could, Able to Exercise Created on July 06, 2020Can, Could, Able to Exercise Complete the gaps in the sentences with the following: can, could or be able to.Careful! More than one answer can be correct! 1 / 36 I'm very tired. I _________ (haven't been able to / couldn't) sleep recently. couldn't haven't been able to 2 / 36 What famous man __________ (wasn't able to / couldn't) speak until he was 3 years old? Winston Churchill! wasn't able to / couldn't couldn't 3 / 36 Is this sentence true or false? We use can or could for ability (i.e. knowledge to do something) more often than we use to be able to. False True 4 / 36 We __________ (weren't able to / couldn't) do the English exercises. They were too difficult. couldn't weren't able to / couldn't 5 / 36 He's very happy now that he ________ (has been able to / could) find a new job. He starts tomorrow. has been able to could 6 / 36 I've always wanted __________ (able) speak another language. am able to to be able to were able to 7 / 36 I forgot to bring my phone so, I ________ (wasn't able to / couldn't) phone you. wasn't able to / couldn't couldn't 8 / 36 It was a very difficult football match. But, in the end, we ________ (were able to/could) beat the other team. could were able to 9 / 36 Now that she has lived in her own apartment for the last 3 months, she _________ (is able to / can) cook really well. can is able to / can 10 / 36 Fortunately, the police _________ (able) rescue the family that was trapped in the car. is able to were able to was able to 11 / 36 __________ (able) reserve a table at the restaurant? Did you able to Have you been able to You have been able to 12 / 36 The doctor _________ (able) see you right now. He has another appointment. aren't able to isn't able isn't able to 13 / 36 _________ (I can't / I'm not able to) call him because my telephone is out of battery. I need to charge it. I'm not able to I can't / I'm not able to 14 / 36 She ________ (not / able) to walk since she was 10 months old. has been able to was able to is able to 15 / 36 He ________ (wasn't able to / couldn't) speak to her because she wasn't there. wasn't able to / couldn't wasn't able to 16 / 36 Will you ________ (able) come to my wedding? be able to are able to be able 17 / 36 I _________ (not / able) accept the job because it was too far away. wasn't able to weren't able to am not able to 18 / 36 We need someone who _________ (can / is able to) speak English very well. can can / is able to 19 / 36 The experts say that everyone _________ learn another language. are able to was able to is able to 20 / 36 We ___________ (haven't been able to / could) go on holiday this year. We don't have enough money. haven't been able to could 21 / 36 I looked in every shop for some new shoes. Finally, I ________ (was able to / could) find some in the very last shop.! could was able to 22 / 36 Is this sentence true or false? You can use couldn't for all the same situations as wasn't able to. False True 23 / 36 When I go to Malta next month, I _______ (able) practise my English. was able to will be able to will able to 24 / 36 It was very hard for her to remember the past and she _________ (wasn't able to / couldn't) tell us what happened. wasn't able to / couldn't couldn't 25 / 36 I'm much better now. I should ________ (be able to / can) walk in a couple of days. can be able to 26 / 36 Although the boat caught fire, everyone _______ (was able to/could) escape. was able to could 27 / 36 We will be on holiday next month so we ________ (not / able) go to your party. isn't able to won't be able to haven't been able to 28 / 36 Is this sentence true or false? The structure to be able to is more formal or polite than can. False True 29 / 36 I _________ (not / able) make dinner yet. The baby hasn't stopped crying. haven't been able haven't been able to wasn't able to 30 / 36 Have you spoken to Jane yet? No, her mobile must be switched off. I _______ to able to talk to her yet. haven't been able to isn't able to wasn't able to 31 / 36 He ________ (could / was able to) speak before learned how to walk. could / was able to could 32 / 36 I'm sorry that I _________ (not / able) to come to the theatre with you last night. didn't able to weren't able to wasn't able to 33 / 36 Is this sentence true or false? Although we use can for ability, we use the form to be able to for particular situations (i.e. to manage or finally succeed). True False 34 / 36 She __________ (not / able) do any shopping because she forgot her money. wasn't able to wasn't able weren't able to 35 / 36 You need _______ (able) swim if you want to go diving. to be able to be able to to are able to 36 / 36 When we were young, we used ________ (to be able to / can) play football on the street. There are too many cars to do that now. can to be able to Your score is Please RATE this exercise and leave a comment below! Send feedback Have To / Must / ShouldAble To Exercise Share this Post