This scroll was copied from the collection of Demetrius of Phalerum, the man who helped to found this Library. He gathered the fables of Aesop, a slave from Samos who told stories so wise that kings listened to him. Tonight: the most famous race in the world.
Aesop’s Fables · Part 1 · Modal verbs
The Tortoise and the Hare
Can, could, be able to, managed to and could have: the grammar of what you are able to do, and what you could have done, raced out by Sophia, contested by Marcos, corrected by Demetria, and precisely footnoted by Philo.
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SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
Demetrius? He must have been a very sensible man. It’s an excellent name.
The fable
After Aesop
A Hare was laughing at a Tortoise for being so slow. “You can’t even cross a field before sunset,” he said. “I can run faster than the wind.”
“Perhaps,” said the Tortoise. “But I will race you, and I will win.”
The Hare laughed even louder, and they agreed to a race to the old oak tree on the hill. At once the Hare shot off and was soon far out of sight. Halfway there, he looked back and could not even see the Tortoise. “I have plenty of time,” he said, and he lay down under a bush and fell asleep.
The Tortoise did not stop. Step by step, slowly and steadily, she walked past the sleeping Hare and on up the hill.
When the Hare woke up, the sun was going down. He ran as fast as he could, but when he reached the oak tree, the Tortoise was already there, waiting for him.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Can: ability now
MARCOS
I’m on the Hare’s side. He can run faster than the wind. The Tortoise can’t run at all. It was obviously a fix.
SOPHIA
The first modal of ability. Can + the bare verb, for what somebody is able to do now, or in general: hares can run fast; tortoises can’t. No -s, no to, and never do: “Can he run?” not “Does he can run?”
Could: ability in general, in the past
PHILO
When I was small, I could recite the whole alphabet backwards. I couldn’t swim, though. I still can’t.
SOPHIA
The past of can is could, for a general ability in the past, something you were able to do at any time: The Hare could run very fast even when he was young. And couldn’t for any past inability: At halfway, he couldn’t see the Tortoise.
Was able to, managed to: one success
MARCOS
All right. So the Tortoise could win the race, because the Hare fell asleep.
DEMETRIA
No. Not could. The Tortoise was able to win, or managed to win. Could is for a general ability. For one particular success, on one particular day, English wants was able to or managed to.
SOPHIA
Demetria is right. She could swim means she knew how. She was able to swim to the shore means she did it, that day, perhaps with difficulty. Managed to adds the difficulty: the Tortoise managed to reach the oak tree first.
PHILO
A footnote. In the negative, couldn’t is fine even for one occasion: the Hare couldn’t catch her. And with verbs of the senses, could is fine too: from the hill, she could see the oak tree.
Be able to: where can can’t go
THE CLERK
I will can finish copying this scroll by tomorrow. I hope to can go home early.
SOPHIA
Poor man. Can has no future, no infinitive and no perfect. So we borrow be able to: I will be able to finish it tomorrow. I hope to be able to go home. The Hare has never been able to forget that race.
Could have: the ability you didn’t use
PHILO
And here is the whole moral in one verb. The Hare could have won. He had the speed. He had the time. He simply didn’t use them. Could have + past participle is the grammar of every chance that was wasted: he could have run, he could have stayed awake, he could have been the champion.
MARCOS
So the lesson is: don’t fall asleep in the middle of things.
DEMETRIA
You fell asleep in the middle of Book Eleven of the Odyssey, Marcos. You could have heard the best part.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the fable |
|---|---|---|
| can / can’t | ability now, or in general | The Hare can run faster than the wind. |
| could / couldn’t | general ability in the past; couldn’t for any past inability | He could run fast even as a leveret. He couldn’t see her. |
| was able to / managed to | one particular success in the past | The Tortoise was able to (managed to) win. |
| will be able to, has been able to… | ability in tenses that can doesn’t have | She will be able to win again. |
| could have + past participle | ability in the past that was not used | The Hare could have won. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose the best form
Choose the verb form that fits the sentence best.
1. The Hare ___ run faster than any animal in the forest.
2. In the end, the Tortoise ___ reach the oak tree first.
3. When he looked back, the Hare ___ see the Tortoise anywhere.
4. If she keeps training, the Tortoise ___ win again next year.
5. The Hare was much faster. He ___ easily, but he fell asleep.
6. When he was young, the Hare ___ jump over the river in one leap.
B · Complete the sentence
Write the missing words. Use a form of be able to, manage to or could have.
7. Since that day, the Hare forget the race. (never)
8. The race was hard, but the Tortoise finish it without stopping.
9. The Hare awake, but he chose to sleep. (stay)
10. The clerk hopes go home early today.
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
11. “Yesterday, after three hours, I could finally open the scroll box.”
12. “From the top of the hill, the Tortoise could see the oak tree.”
13. “Does the Tortoise can run?”
Now race it yourself. Can you manage to beat the Hare?Play the gamebook →