faster so vs. so fast that ... he could...

[lux aeterna]

Hi there!

This is my second question

Bill drove ____ he could get to the airport on time.

a. faster so (CORRECT)
b. so fast that (WRONG)

why is 'a' correct and not 'b'?

i guess it has to do with the meaning/use of 'could', but what's the exact use of 'could' here? possibility, past ability...?

if instead of 'could' we had 'was able to' would 'b' be correct?

thanks everyone!

 

[5jj]

Unless we are speaking of an ability, rather than the successful achievement of something, 'could' normally means 'would be able to' rather than 'was able to'. 'Was able to' is possible in your sentence.

 

[lux aeterna]

thanks for the answer 5jj

'was able to' is possible for the second option only (bill drove so fast that he as able to...), right?

in what other ways, if any, could 'b' be correct? a punctuation maybe? 'bill drove so fast, that he could...'

concerning the first sentence you mean that 'could' means 'would be able to'. have i got it right?

thnx a lot

 

[Tdol]

'bill drove so fast​

, that he could...'

The comma doesn't work for me.