首頁 > 學習 > 英語 / 正文
listen 33
發布時間:2005-08-19
美語聽力和發音技巧 第33期(表示過去的能力)
Welcome to Daily Tips on Learning English. Today’s tip is on expressing ability in the past.
There are two ways of expressing ability in English. One, “can” or “could”. Two, “be able to”. In negative sentences, there’s no difference in meaning. So, “I couldn’t lift the piano” and “I wasn’t able to lift the piano” mean the same thing. However, in affirmative sentences about past ability, “could” usually means “used be able to”. The use of “could” usually indicates that the ability existed in the past, but does not exist now.
For example, “When I was young, I could run fast” means that I can not run fast now. On the other hand, if the speaker is talking about an ability to do something at one particular time in the past, “was/were able to” can be used in affirmative sentences, but “could” cannot.
For example, your car broke down. It stopped working. So you took it to get fixed two days ago. When I saw you today, you told me that the mechanic fixed your car. If you said, “The mechanic could fix my car yesterday”, that sentence is not correct. You must say, “The mechanic was able to fix my car yesterday” or “The mechanic managed to fix my car yesterday.”
Let’s look at another example. I have been looking for a CD I like for a long time. I could not find it. I was not able to find it for a long time. But yesterday I was able to find it. Yesterday I managed to find it. But you cannot say, “Yesterday I could find it.”
Remember “I could not” and “I was not able to” are the same, but “I could” and “I was able to” are not the same. “I could” means I used to be able to, but now I’m not able to. “I was able to” means I have the ability at one particular time in the past.
This has been today’s daily tip on learning English. Tune in tomorrow for another tip.
- 上一篇:2011年高考英語試題單項選擇情景交流(6)
- 下一篇:六盤水常用英語口語大全
猜你喜歡
- 2023-11-15 植物的40個特點,你知道嗎?
- 2023-11-15 寧夏職稱英語考試報名通知2023
- 2023-11-15 高中作文素材:考場作文素材 高中作文常用的人生哲理327句(3)
- 2023-11-15 2023年河南省英語四、六級考試報名入口[提前通知]
- 2023-11-15 2023遼寧上半年英語水平考試(PETS)考試時間已公布
- 2023-11-15 2023年河南高考招生計劃
- 2023-11-15 初中高頻動詞用法 stand
- 2023-11-15 英語復習-抓住詞匯 祝福網liuxue86攻克長難句
- 2023-11-15 你知道京劇嗎?這里有答案
- 2023-11-15 2023年海南高考錄取時間:7月10日起
- 標簽列表
-
- 支付寶 (21238)
- 工作總結 (5796)
- 小學六年級 (5547)
- 小學五年級 (5464)
- 原神 (4737)
- 英雄聯盟 (4408)
- 初中初一 (4092)
- 魔獸世界 (3871)
- 祝福語 (3841)
- 博德之門3(Baldur&039s Gate 3) (3802)
- 暗黑破壞神4 (3797)
- 我的世界(Minecraft) (3716)
- 小學四年級 (3710)
- 博德之門3 (3320)
- 小學三年級 (3320)
- 名著讀后感 (3235)
- 讀后感 (3170)
- 暗黑破壞神4(Diablo 4) (2816)
- 高考滿分作文 (2762)
- 大俠立志傳(Hero&039s Adventure) (2742)
- 讀書心得范文 (2703)
- 艾爾登法環 (2671)
- 地下城與勇士 (2639)
- 泰拉瑞亞(Terraria) (2628)
- 艾爾登法環(Elden Ring) (2623)
- 塞爾達傳說:王國之淚(The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom) (2463)
- 命運方舟 (2443)
- 塞爾達傳說:王國之淚 (2419)
- 500字 (2409)
- 550字 (2369)
- 幻獸帕魯 (2303)
- 小學一年級 (2297)
- 450字 (2272)
- 400字 (2259)
- 小學二年級 (2256)
- 年終工作總結 (2182)
- 600字 (2155)
- 讀后感600字 (2138)
- 800字 (2009)
- 高考 (2006)