Exercise 7. Insert could or its equivalents according to the sense. Remember that can/could/be able to is used for general ability. To indicate the achievement of something use was able to, managed to or succeeded in.
Modal:
I ... read this report yet.
I haven’t been able to read this report yet.
At least three hostages ... escape.
At least three hostages managed to / were able to escape. My great-grandfather ... speak ten languages.
My great-grandfather could speak ten languages. Eventually I ... getting the lid back on the box. Eventually I succeeded in getting the lid back on the box.
1) When Sue was young, she ... sing like an angel. 2) She does not smoke any longer, because I ... persuade her to give up smoking. 3) In his childhood he ... climb high trees. 4) The campaign ... (certainly) raising public awareness of the issue. 5) He was a terrific liar: he ... make anybody believe him. 6) I talked for a long time,
and in the end I ... make her believe me. 7) He is unlikely to ... getting his bill through Congress, however worthy it is. 8) I was lucky enough to buy a cheap but nice coat. I ... get 15% off the price. 9) By 1996 the strategy ... (significantly) expanding the scope of school-to-work in Tulsa. 10) They should ... offer you the support you need at an academic and personal level. 11) My son was very good at figures. He ... do sums better than anyone. 12)
Happily John ... swim across the river, otherwise he would have drowned. 15) They were not busy. They ... repair my car but didn’t do it. 16) None of the measures taken by the government ... reducing the spread of violent crime. 17) After six hours’ climbing, they ... reach the top of the mountain. 18) I’d like to do more gardening, but I ... (never) find time. 19) Jack was an excellent tennis player when he was younger. He
... beat anybody. 20) Very few people ... losing weight and keeping it off.
Ответы
1 When Sue was young, she could sing like an angel.
2 She does not smoke any longer, because I managed to persuade her to give up smoking.
3 In his childhood he could climb high trees.
4 The campaign succeeded in raising public awareness of the issue. (or "The campaign was able to raise...")
5 He was a terrific liar: he could make anybody believe him.
6 I talked for a long time, and in the end I managed to make her believe me.
7 He is unlikely to succeed in getting his bill through Congress, however worthy it is.
8 I was lucky enough to buy a cheap but nice coat. I managed to get 15% off the price.
9 By 1996 the strategy had succeeded in significantly expanding the scope of school-to-work in Tulsa.
10 They should be able to offer you the support you need at an academic and personal level.
11 My son was very good at figures. He could do sums better than anyone.
12 Happily John was able to swim across the river, otherwise he would have drowned.
13 They were not busy. They could repair my car but didn’t do it.
14 None of the measures taken by the government succeeded in reducing the spread of violent crime.
15 After six hours’ climbing, they managed to reach the top of the mountain.
16 I’d like to do more gardening, but I never manage to find time.
17 Jack was an excellent tennis player when he was younger. He could beat anybody.
18 Very few people succeed in losing weight and keeping it off.