pinkie9
Member
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2010
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Japanese
- Home Country
- Japan
- Current Location
- Japan
[FONT=メ]Hello. Please assume that some teachers from all over Japan were supposed to gather in Tokyo to hold a meeting yesterday, but it was impossible due to the bad weather, which means the airplanes to Tokyo couldn't fly.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]If I have to describe this situation using the passive voice (with "the meeting" as the subject)...[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]1. The meeting could not be held.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]2. The meeting was not be able to be held.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]Could anyone tell me if they are both correct?
[/FONT][FONT=メ]With regard to "could" and "be able to" when expressing the past, I understand the following:[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]Native speakers use "could" for general ability.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]- My granma could speak 4 languages.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]But if you are talking about what happened in a particular situation, you use was/were able to... but NOT could.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]- The fire spread through the building quickly but everybody was able to escape.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]But if it's negative, you can use "couldn't" for general ability and also for a particular situation.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]- My granma could not swim.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]- The fire spread through the building quickly and everybody could not escape.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]But I can't find a grammar book or website that explains about a negative sentence in the passive voice. [/FONT]
[FONT=メ]If I have to describe this situation using the passive voice (with "the meeting" as the subject)...[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]1. The meeting could not be held.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]2. The meeting was not be able to be held.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]Could anyone tell me if they are both correct?
[/FONT][FONT=メ]With regard to "could" and "be able to" when expressing the past, I understand the following:[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]Native speakers use "could" for general ability.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]- My granma could speak 4 languages.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]But if you are talking about what happened in a particular situation, you use was/were able to... but NOT could.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]- The fire spread through the building quickly but everybody was able to escape.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]But if it's negative, you can use "couldn't" for general ability and also for a particular situation.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]- My granma could not swim.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]- The fire spread through the building quickly and everybody could not escape.[/FONT]
[FONT=メ]But I can't find a grammar book or website that explains about a negative sentence in the passive voice. [/FONT]