Could, was able to, managed to: did you make it? Past ability exercises: a skill or one success

This B1 drill lesson gives could and was able to exercises for past ability: could for a skill, was able to or managed to for one success, couldn't for both.

Grammar: Could, was / were able to and managed to in positives, negatives and questions with short answers, and could see or could hear for one moment.
Topic: A mountain rescue: a news story about two hikers caught in fog, Brigitta's thank-you post, the team leader's interview, Kwame's message and a chat with Liesel.
Activities: True or false, sorting, choices, gap-fills, drag-and-drop stories, tables, word order, matching, quizzes, a memory game and a chat, each one checked at once.

What's inside

Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: could, was able to, managed toGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the sentences: in general or one time?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the right form: could, was able to, managed toChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: then and nowFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2When I was a kid…
- Choose the right form: could and couldn'tChoose the optionTry it
- Drag the words into the gaps: what could they do as kids?Drag and dropUnlock
- Fill in the table: positive, negative, questionFill in the tableUnlock
- Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endings: could and couldn't with see, hear…MatchUnlock
- Choose the right question for each answerQuizUnlock
- Read Grandpa Ambrose's story and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 3We did it!
- Choose the right form: was able to or were able toChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: it was hard, but they did itFill in the gapsTry it
- Fill in the table: was able to and managed toFill in the tableUnlock
- Drag the words into the gaps: success or no success?Drag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right short answerChoose the optionUnlock
- Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
Chapter 4One time or in general?
- Is could right here? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the sentences: does could fit in the gap?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Choose the right form: one successChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: one time or in general?Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchTry it
- Read Benedek's story and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: Rescue on the mountain
- Read the news storyReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the news story again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read Brigitta's post and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the interview with Hollis Varga and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Kwame's message and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Liesel texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right form: my first year in CanadaChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: a night without powerFill in the gapsUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: a trip that went wrongFill in the gapsUnlock
- Sort the sentences: a skill, one success or no success?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
- Fill in the table: + − ? in the pastFill in the tableUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: question and short answerMemory gameUnlock
- Choose the right form: a skill or one success?Choose the optionUnlock
- Put the words in order to make questions: past abilityUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endings: what happened?MatchUnlock
- Find the mistake in each sentenceQuizUnlock
- Read Thaddeus's review and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Yusra's forum post and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Leopold's email and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the correct sentence: past abilityQuizUnlock

Grammar: past ability: could, was able to, managed to

English has three ways to say someone could do something in the past, and the situation decides. Could is for a skill in general; was able to and managed to are for one success in one situation; couldn't works for both.

Could, was able to, managed to

Past ability: could for a skill in general; was able to or managed to for one success; couldn't for both.

Three forms, one plain verb

When I was six, I could swim. The road was closed, but we were able to find another way. It was a hard climb, but they managed to reach the top. All three take the base verb.

subjectcould · was / were able to · managed toverb

When I was six, I could swim.

The road was closed, but we were able to find another way.

It was a hard climb, but they managed to reach the top.

Negatives, questions, short answers

Could and managed to stay the same for every person; was able to becomes were able to with you, we and they. Short answers echo the first word: Yes, she could. Yes, he was. No, we didn't.

Form	Positive (+)	Negative (−)	Question (?)	Short answers
could (every person)	She could ski.	She couldn't ski. · She could not ski.	Could she ski?	Yes, she could. · No, she couldn't.
was able to (I, he, she, it)	He was able to help.	He wasn't able to help.	Was he able to help?	Yes, he was. · No, he wasn't.
were able to (you, we, they)	They were able to help.	They weren't able to help.	Were they able to help?	Yes, they were. · No, they weren't.
managed to (every person)	We managed to win.	We didn't manage to win.	Did you manage to win?	Yes, we did. · No, we didn't.

In general or one time?

A skill takes could or was able to: My aunt could play three instruments. One success takes was able to or managed to, not could. For no success, any negative works: I couldn't find my wallet this morning.

A skill, in general

could ✓ · was able to ✓
As a kid, I could swim for hours.
My aunt could play three instruments.

One time: success

was able to ✓ · managed to ✓ · could ✗
The bus was full, but I was able to get a seat.
It took three tries, but she managed to pass the test.

No success: in general or one time

couldn't ✓ · wasn't able to ✓ · didn't manage to ✓
As a kid, I couldn't dive.
I couldn't find my wallet this morning.

Could with see, hear, feel…

With see, hear, smell, taste, feel, understand and remember, could is right for one time too: Last night I could hear the rain on the roof.

could with see, hear, feel…

With see, hear, smell, taste, feel, understand and remember, could is right for one time too: From the bridge, we could see the whole valley. Last night I could hear the rain on the roof.

Managed to: it was hard, but you did it

Managed to puts the effort in focus: The car was stuck in the snow, but we managed to push it out. Was able to means the same, with less weight on the struggle.

managed to: it was hard, but you did it

managed to + verb shows the effort: The car was stuck in the snow, but we managed to push it out. was / were able to means the same, with less focus on the effort. (Not: we managed pushing it.)

Common mistakes

Watch for Yesterday I could finish the race, She was able swim across the lake, I could to run fast and He didn't managed to call me. After didn't, manage stays in the base form.

Yesterday I could finish the race.
Yesterday I was able to / managed to finish the race.
one success: not could
She was able swim across the lake.
She was able to swim across the lake.
was / were able to + verb
When I was young, I could to run fast.
When I was young, I could run fast.
could + verb, no to
He didn't managed to call me.
He didn't manage to call me.
didn't manage to · Did you manage to…?

Examples

When she was four, Ada could read and write.a skill, in general
I couldn't open the window. It was stuck.one time, no success
The firefighters were able to save the family's dog.one time, success
After a long search, Tom managed to find his passport.one success after a lot of effort
Were you able to get tickets? — Yes, I was.question and short answer
Did you manage to call the bank? — No, I didn't.question and short answer

More lessons on this grammar: Modal verbs lessons and exercises

Try the could and was able to exercises

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What's in the lesson

41 auto-checked exercises
5 games
1 real-life document
1 grammar scheme
1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

talk about a skill you had in the past: When he was three, our son could count to a hundred.
use was able to or managed to for one success: The hotel was full, but we managed to find a room in a small inn.
keep could out of one-time wins: Last week, we were able to win the trivia contest, not we could win
use could with see or hear for one moment: Late in the evening, we could see their lights far below us.
ask and answer: Were you able to find a parking space? – Yes, I was. Did you manage to book a hotel? – Yes, I did.

Grammar:: could · was / were able to · managed to · past ability
Topic:: grammar practice · past abilities · mountains · rescue

Teaching tips

Compare age ten with today: each student says one thing they could do at ten but can't do now, and one thing they couldn't do then but can today.
Tell a “we made it” story: pairs remember a day when something went wrong, like a missed bus or a lost key, and tell how they solved it with managed to and were able to.
Ask “Does could fit?”: write sentences with a gap for the verb; students decide and say why: a skill, a sense verb like hear, or one success that needs was able to.

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English Grammar Practice · B1 has 28 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the present perfect continuous, narrative tenses, future forms, modals of deduction, the second conditional, the passive, relative clauses, reported speech, question tags and linkers. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course

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