Welcome to your English grammar lesson! Today, we’re going to explore two common and very useful ways to talk about ability in English: “be able to” and “good at”. These phrases are essential for expressing what you can do, and they’re perfect for A2 level learners like you. Let’s make learning fun and practical so you can use these confidently in your everyday English conversations!

What Does “Be able to” and “Good at” Mean?

Both “be able to” and “good at” help us talk about what someone or something is capable of doing. Think of them as ways to say “can” but with a little more detail and flexibility. Understanding when to use each one will make your English sound more natural and precise. This is a key part of improving your English grammar A2 level skills.

“Be able to”: Your General Ability

How to Use “Be able to”

“Be able to” is used to talk about someone’s general ability to do something. It’s very similar to “can,” but it has some advantages! “Be able to” can be used in all tenses (past, present, future, etc.), unlike “can” which is more limited. Let’s see how to form it:

• Present Simple: am/is/are able to
• Past Simple: was/were able to
• Future Simple: will be able to

Remember to use the correct form of “be” (am, is, are, was, were, will be) depending on the subject and the tense. This is important for correct English grammar A2.

Examples of “Be able to”

Let’s look at some examples to make it clearer:

• Present Simple: “I am able to swim.” (This means I have the general ability to swim now.)
• Past Simple: “She was able to finish the race, even though she was tired.” (This talks about her ability in the past.)
• Future Simple: “They will be able to speak English fluently after taking this course.” (This talks about their future ability.)
• Negative Form: “He isn’t able to drive a car yet.” (He lacks the ability to drive at the moment.)
• Question Form: “Are you able to help me with this problem?” (Asking about someone’s ability to assist.)

Notice how versatile “be able to” is! It’s a great phrase to use when you want to talk about ability in different situations and tenses. This is very useful for spoken English practice.

“Good at”: Your Skills and Talents

How to Use “Good at”

“Good at” is used to talk about someone’s skill or talent in a specific area. It focuses on proficiency or how well someone performs an action. The structure is quite simple:

Subject + be (am/is/are/was/were) + good at + verb-ing (gerund) / noun

Remember, after “at,” we usually use the -ing form of the verb (gerund) or a noun. Let’s see some examples!

Examples of “Good at”

Here are some examples to show you how to use “good at” effectively:

• Present Simple: “She is good at playing the piano.” (She has a talent for playing the piano.)
• Past Simple: “He was good at mathematics in school.” (He had a skill in math in the past.)
• Present Simple (with a noun): “They are good at sports.” (They have a general skill in sports.)
• Negative Form: “I‘m not good at cooking.” (I don’t have a skill in cooking.)
• Question Form: “Are you good at learning languages?” (Asking about someone’s skill in language learning.)

“Good at” is fantastic for talking about your hobbies, talents, and strengths. It’s a common way to express your skills in English ability expressions.

“Be able to” vs “Good at”: What’s the Difference?

While both “be able to” and “good at” talk about ability, there’s a subtle but important difference:

• “Be able to” focuses on the possibility or capacity to do something. It’s about whether you can do it at all, often in a general sense. Think of it as “capable of.”
• “Good at” focuses on skill or proficiency. It’s about how well you do something. Think of it as “skilled in” or “talented in.”

Let’s compare them directly:

• “I am able to ride a bike.” (I have the general ability to ride a bike. Maybe I just learned.)
• “I am good at riding a bike.” (I have skill in riding a bike. Maybe I ride bikes very well and fast.)

See the difference? “Be able to” is more about the simple ability, while “good at” is about the level of skill. For English for beginners and A2 learners, understanding this nuance will greatly improve your communication.

Practical Usage and Speaking Focus

Now, let’s think about how you can use these phrases in real conversations and for spoken English practice. Imagine you are talking to a friend:

• Talking about future plans: “Next year, I will be able to travel to Europe!” (Expressing a future possibility.)
• Talking about skills at work: “I am good at problem-solving.” (Highlighting a work-related skill.)
• Asking about someone’s abilities: “Are you able to speak Spanish?” or “Are you good at playing any musical instruments?” (Starting a conversation and learning about others.)

Using “be able to” and “good at” will make your English sound more natural and fluent. Don’t be afraid to use them in your daily conversations to speak English fluently!

Let’s Practice!

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using “be able to” (am/is/are/was/were able to) or “good at”. Choose the best option for each sentence.

1. She ______ speak French and English fluently. (ability)
2. They ______ solve the puzzle very quickly. (skill)
3. Last year, I ______ run a marathon. (past ability)
4. He ______ drawing beautiful pictures. (skill)
5. Will you ______ come to the party tomorrow? (future ability)

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Option

Choose the best option (be able to or good at) to complete each sentence.

1. I ______ (be able to / good at) understand most of what you say in English.
2. My brother ______ (is able to / is good at) playing football. He plays for the school team.
3. They ______ (were able to / were good at) find the hotel easily.
4. Are you ______ (able to / good at) singing?
5. She ______ (will be able to / will be good at) help you with your homework. She’s very clever.

Answers

Exercise 1 Answers:

1. is able to
2. are good at
3. was able to
4. is good at
5. Will you be able to

Exercise 2 Answers:

1. be able to
2. is good at
3. were able to
4. good at
5. will be able to

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