HOW TO EXPRESS ABILITY

Having in mind some of you have problems to express ability in the different tenses, I thought of creating this mind map to help you understand how to use 'can', 'could' and 'be able to'. I'm not keen on building up mind maps but I hope it helps you understand how to express ability a bit better.

You can click on the image to enlarge it and/or save it to your device or you can go to 'grammar' to download it as a PDF document.

Click here to get it as an image 

CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO

Remember that can doesn't have all the forms, only present (can) and past (could), so sometimes it is necessary to use 'be able to'.

In the present both forms are possible, though can is more common.

We use could for general ability. But if we are talking about what happened in a particular situation, we use was/were able to... or managed to... (Notcould): 

They didn't want to come with us at first but we managed to persuade them. or ...we were able to persuade them, (but not 'could persuade') 

Compare: 

Jack was an excellent tennis player. He could beat anybody. (= he had the general ability to beat anybody) 

Jack and Alf had a game of tennis yesterday. Alf played very well but in the end Jack managed to beat him. or ...was able to beat him. (= he managed to beat him in this particular game) 

And now some exercises for you to practise:

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Exercise 5

Exercise 6

And remember you can go to  "Grammar" to download a more accurate explanation as a document.

GOOD MANNERS

Do you have good manners? Watch this video about good manners, what to say and do, polite English.

TELEPHONING

Useful telephone vocabulary and phrases in English.(If you want the document go to 'Vocabulary' to download it.

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Making contact :	Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon ... This is John Brown speaking Could I speak to ......... please? I'd like to speak to ..... ..... I'm trying to contact ..........
Giving more information:	I'm calling from Tokyo / Paris / New York / Sydney ... I'm calling on behalf of Mr. X ...
Taking a call :	X speaking. Can I help you?
Asking for a name / information :	Who's calling please? Who's speaking? Where are you calling from? Are you sure you have the right number / name?
Asking the caller to wait :	Hold the line please. Could you hold on please? Just a moment please.
Connecting :	Thank you for holding. The line's free now ... I'll put you through. I'll connect you now  / I'm connecting you now.
Giving negative information :	I'm afraid the line's engaged. Could you call back later? I'm afraid he's in a meeting at the moment. I'm sorry. He's out of the office today. / He isn't in at the moment. I'm afraid we don't have a Mr./Mrs./Ms/Miss. ... here I'm sorry.  There's nobody here by that name. Sorry.  I think you've dialled the wrong number./ I'm afraid you've got the wrong number.
Telephone problems :	The line is very bad ...  Could you speak up please? Could you repeat that please? I'm afraid I can't hear you. Sorry. I didn't catch that.  Could you say it again please?
Leaving / Taking a message :	Can I leave / take a message? Would you like to leave a message? Could you give him/her a message? Could you ask him/her to call me back? Could you tell him/her that I called? Could you give me your name please? Could you spell that please? What's your number please?

ON THE PHONE - PHRASAL VERBS

XI CONCURS DE FOTOGRAFIA

Hi there!

Do you like photography?

La Escuela Oficial de Idiomas de Ibiza vuelve a celebrar otro año el concurso de fotografía entre su alumnado para la portada de la revista del centro, SABIR.

El ganador, aparte de ver su foto en la portada de dicha revista, tiene un vale para dos personas para disfrutar de un circuito termal y de un menú degustación en "Can Curreu", en Sant Carles.

Y hay un segundo premio para el finalista, un vale para comprar libros o material de papeleria en Fa en Quarta.

 Así que si te gusta la fotografía, anímate y participa!!! Tienes hasta el 5 de marzo para presentar tus fotos.

Las bases las puedes encontrar en la página web de la escuela 

Venga, desempolva esas fotos o la cámara y a participar! 

Go for it!

Esta es la portada de la revista del curso pasado. 

Puedes leer la revista haciendo click aquí - Revista SABIR 2019