COULD• Could can be used in many

different ways, to ask for permission, to make a request or to express ability when referring to the past.

• Could I talk to you for a little?

• We could go to Cusco last month but we didn’t.

WAS ABLE TO• Was able to is sometimes

used as an alternative to could when we are discussing ability or possibility.

• He was able to understand the tourist when they spoke about Arequipa.

• By the time she was seven, she could already speak three languages.

• She started the guitar at the age of eight and after only six months she could play it quite well.

• Her brother Jack was an excellent swimmer. He could win anybody in his class.

BE ABLE TO / MANAGED TO

• We tend to use be able to or managed to if we are talking about what happened in a particular situation

• Were you able to / Did you manage to speak to him before he left home? ~ No, I'm sorry, I wasn't able to / didn't manage to reach him.

• The fog came down and I wasn't able to / didn't manage to get to the top of the mountain.

• My brother wanted to carry on, but we managed to / were able to talk him out of it.

COMPLETE WITH COULD-BE ABLE TO- MANAGED TO

1. I ______ speak Italian really well when I lived in Venice.

2. It was quite difficult but I ______ get it all done.

3.It was very frustrating. I ______ make her understand what I wanted.

4.He ______ walk when he was only 8 months old.

5.For once, I ______ get up early today. It was an effort!

6.I missed the last train but I ______ get a taxi.

7.I ______ do the Times crossword ten years ago but I can't nowadays. I'm getting too old!

8.I looked everywhere but I ______ find it.

9. There were very few seats left but I ______ get us two tickets.

10.I ______ run much faster when I was 20.

11. I would have liked to have gone but I ______ get a ticket.

12. I ______ see what was wrong with what I had put but I kept getting an error message.

13. I ______ read when I was only four.

14. I don't speak much Russian but I ______ make the taxi driver understand where I wanted to go.

15. I asked Tom if he ______ help.

16. How on earth did you ______ find it? It's just what I wanted.

17. Sorry I'm late. I ______ start my car.

18. When I was young, I ______ run fast but now I cannot.

19.I ______ find the correct answer anywhere.

20. In spite of his broken arm, he ______ come into the office for the meeting.