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28-Nov-2007, 02:07
| | | will be able to Hi, my name is Cosmos. I teach English at high school.
I would really appreciate any advice from you.
My question:
(a) Unfortunately, I cannot attend Friday's get-together.
(b) Unfortunately, I am unable to attend Friday's get-together.
(c) Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend Friday's get-together.
Grammar books say that the future tense of "can" is "will be able to".
If this rule is strictly applied, then only (c) would be grammatically correct, since the act of "attend" occurs in the future. But in fact it seems that (a) and (b) are often used.
Can "can" and "is/am/are able to" be used instead of "will be able to", regardless of what grammar books generally say?
Also, please tell me if there is any difference in formality of speech among (a) (b) and (c). | 
28-Nov-2007, 02:42
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Country: Canada
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| | Re: will be able to Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered Hi, my name is Cosmos. I teach English at high school.
I would really appreciate any advice from you.
My question:
(a) Unfortunately, I cannot attend Friday's get-together.
(b) Unfortunately, I am unable to attend Friday's get-together.
(c) Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend Friday's get-together.
Grammar books say that the future tense of "can" is "will be able to".
If this rule is strictly applied, then only (c) would be grammatically correct, since the act of "attend" occurs in the future. But in fact it seems that (a) and (b) are often used.
Can "can" and "is/am/are able to" be used instead of "will be able to", regardless of what grammar books generally say?
Also, please tell me if there is any difference in formality of speech among (a) (b) and (c). | The grammar books have gotten more than this wrong, Cosmos. English doesn't have a future tense but traditional grammar got so hung up on 'will' as the future tense of English that they missed all the other ways we have to express the future.
So, in a nutshell, yes, you can use the other ones you've mentioned/you mentioned. As to formality, they all sound fairly formal. | 
28-Nov-2007, 03:08
| | Newbie | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Country: Japan
Posts: 7
Current Location: Tokyo First Language: Japanese Member Type: English Teacher Thanks: 2
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| | Re: will be able to Thank you, riverkid.
I appreciate your comment very much.
So there ARE cases where you can use "can" and "is/am/are able to" to indeicate the future event.
May I ask you one last question?
Is there any case in which you can use "will be able to", but not "can"?
If the answer is Yes, a sample sentence would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. I have now registered and my new name is sakura-saku. | 
28-Nov-2007, 03:18
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Country: Canada
Posts: 3,025
Current Location: Canada First Language: English Member Type: English Teacher Thanks: 4
Thanked 481 Times in 442 Posts
| | Re: will be able to Quote:
Originally Posted by sakura-saku Thank you, riverkid.
I appreciate your comment very much.
So there ARE cases where you can use "can" and "is/am/are able to" to indeicate the future event.
May I ask you one last question?
Is there any case in which you can use "will be able to", but not "can"?
If the answer is Yes, a sample sentence would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. I have now registered and my new name is sakura-saku. | Welcome SS. How's the weather in Tokyo? It's minus 22 here.
Off the top of my head, I'd say no to your query. Let me give this some more thought and I'll reply tomorrow. In the meanwhile somebody else may offer their thoughts.
I'm off to bed.
Oyasumi nasai. | 
28-Nov-2007, 03:58
| | Newbie | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Country: Japan
Posts: 7
Current Location: Tokyo First Language: Japanese Member Type: English Teacher Thanks: 2
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| | Re: will be able to Hi, riverkid.
Thank you for your reply.
It's prettey warm here in Tokyo--15 degrees Celsius.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you tomorrow.
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