Step-by-Step Guide to 'Be Able To' Questions"

Forming questions with be able to involves inverting the subject and the correct form of the verb to be for the relevant tense.

Here’s a detailed explanation along with examples for different tenses:

Present Tense
Explanation: Use the present tense form of to be (am, is, are) before the subject and follow it with able to.

Examples
1. Singular Subject
Statement: She is able to speak French.
Question: Is she able to speak French?

2. Plural Subject
Statement: They are able to finish the work.
Question: Are they able to finish the work?

Past Tense
Explanation: Use the past tense form of to be (was, were) before the subject and follow it with able to.

Examples
1. Singular Subject
Statement: He was able to solve the problem.
Question: Was he able to solve the problem?

2. Plural Subject
Statement: We were able to attend the concert.
Question: Were we able to attend the concert?

Future Tense
Explanation: Use will before the subject, followed by be able to.

Examples
1. Singular Subject
Statement: She will be able to come tomorrow.
Question: Will she be able to come tomorrow?

2. Plural Subject
Statement: They will be able to complete the project.
Question: Will they be able to complete the project?

Present Perfect Tense
Explanation: Use have or has before the subject, followed by been able to.

Examples
1. Singular Subject
Statement: He has been able to improve his skills.
Question: Has he been able to improve his skills?

2. Plural Subject
Statement: They have been able to reach an agreement.
Question: Have they been able to reach an agreement?

Past Perfect Tense
Explanation: Use had before the subject, followed by been able to.

Examples
1. Singular Subject
Statement: She had been able to finish the task.
Question: Had she been able to finish the task?

2. Plural Subject
Statement: We had been able to solve the issue.
Question: Had we been able to solve the issue?

Modal Verbs with Be Able To
Explanation: Use the modal verb (like might, may, should) before the subject, followed by be able to.

Examples
1. Singular Subject
Statement: He might be able to join us.
Question: Might he be able to join us?

2. Plural Subject
Statement: They should be able to complete the work.
Question: Should they be able to complete the work?

Negative Questions with Be Able To
Explanation: To form negative questions, add not after the subject or use contractions.

Examples
1. Singular Subject
Statement: She is not able to come.
Question: Is she not able to come? or

Isn't she able to come?

2. Plural Subject
Statement: They were not able to fix the car.
Question: Were they not able to fix the car? or Weren't they able to fix the car?