Key Difference

• “Could” generally expresses past ability in a broad sense, without referring to one specific situation.
• “Was/Were able to” emphasizes ability in a specific moment, especially if the action was difficult or needed extra effort.

1. “Could” for General Ability

Think of “could” as a way to show general ability in the past. If you want to describe a skill or something you were typically able to do, “could” is usually the best choice. It doesn’t focus on one specific moment; rather, it talks about something you could do anytime.

• Examples:
  • “When I was younger, I could run for miles without getting tired.”
    (This is a general ability in the past.)
  • “She could speak French fluently by the age of eight.”

🔹 Use “could” when you’re talking about something you were able to do regularly or generally in the past.

1. “Was/Were Able to” for Specific Situations

“Was/Were able to” is ideal when you’re talking about a specific event or moment where you succeeded in doing something. It often implies that the action required effort, opportunity, or luck, and that achieving it wasn’t guaranteed.

• Examples:
  • “Even though the traffic was bad, we were able to reach the airport on time.” (This was a specific success despite obstacles.)
  • “She was able to find her lost keys after searching for hours.”

🔹 Choose “was/were able to” when you’re discussing a single, completed action where you succeeded, especially if there were challenges involved.

1. Negative Forms: Couldn’t vs. Wasn’t/Weren’t Able To

In the negative form, “couldn’t” and “wasn’t/weren’t able to” are often interchangeable. Both mean that someone failed to do something in the past.

• Examples:
  • “They couldn’t find the restaurant.”
  • “They weren’t able to find the restaurant.”

Either form works here because they both convey that they tried but didn’t succeed.

Practice Makes Perfect: Exercise Time!

Choose “could” or “was/were able to” to complete the sentences.

1. When I was in high school, I ______ speak three languages.
2. Despite the rain, we ______ finish the outdoor event.
3. She practiced so much that she ______ play the song without any mistakes.
4. They ______ solve the puzzle before the timer ran out.

Answers:

1. could (general skill in high school)
2. were able to (specific achievement despite rain)
3. could (general ability gained through practice)
4. were able to (specific success with a time limit)

Pro Tip 🌟

• Think of “could” as your go-to for general skills or abilities.
• Use “was/were able to” for moments of specific achievement or success, especially if they were challenging!