[Grammar] Managed to

[Checkmate]

What is Managed to? What's the difference between it and Could?

"I managed to/could save her"

 

[MikeNewYork]

"I manged to save her" is correct. "Could" has nothing to do with this.

 

[Matthew Wai]

'Managed to save' means 'successfully saved'. 'Could save' means 'was able to save'.
Am I right or wrong?

Not a teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It would have to be "could have saved her" which would not be the same.

 

[Checkmate]

'Managed to save' means 'successfully saved'. 'Could save' means 'was able to save'.
Am I right or wrong?

Not a teacher.

I read on a website that said "was/were able" is same as "managed to"

 

[bhaisahab]

I read on a website that said "was/were able" is same as "managed to"

They are not the same. They can have a similar meaning in certain contexts. "After trying for hours I was able to knurdle the grommits on the cordwangler" or "After trying for hours I managed to knurdle the grommits on the cordwangler", for example.

 

[Checkmate]

So, what's the difference between these both?

 

[Matthew Wai]

1. He could save her, but he didn't do so.
2. He was able to save her, but he didn't do so.
'Someone could/was able to do something' does not necessarily mean that s/he really did so.
Am I right or wrong?

Not a teacher.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Managed to" implies that there was some sort of struggle and effort put into it and that the outcome was uncertain.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Matthew, your first should be: "He could have saved her, but he didn't do so."

 

[Matthew Wai]

'Could save her' refers to the present rather than the past, so my first sentence is wrong.
Is it correct?

 

[Checkmate]

I think I have found the answer!

"Managed to" is used when you talk about something happened in a specific situation

"I managed to save her when she was about to fall from the hill"

"Could" is used to talk about the past abilities

"I could speak english when I was young"

Correct me If I'm wrong

 

[Matthew Wai]

'Could' can also be 'used to say that something is possible'── quoted from http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/could
So I think it is correct to say 'I could save her, but I need your help.', which refers to the present.

Not a teacher.

 

[Rover_KE]

Louiesaha, your posts are being deleted because you are continuing to ignore the following forum guideline:

You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language.

If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly in your post.

Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion.

 

[Louiesaha]

Well I did't know, I thought just a forum to share interest and further improve the language. Thanks for the heads up.
"Not a teacher"

 

[Checkmate]

'Could' can also be 'used to say that something is possible'── quoted from http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/could
So I think it is correct to say 'I could save her, but I need your help.', which refers to the present.

Not a teacher.

The conclusion is:

'Could' is used to talk about 'Past Abilities' and 'Present or Future Possiblities'

'Managed to' is used when you are talking about 'an action you have perfectly done or succeeded'

We could use either 'Couldn't' or 'Wasn't able' for negative statement of 'Managed to'

Correct if I'm wrong :-D

 

[Matthew Wai]

We could use either 'Couldn't' or 'Wasn't able' for negative statement of 'Managed to'

I would use 'failed to' instead of 'couldn't'.

Not a teacher.