Be about to
Be about tois used to talk about things which are going to happen very soon:
I’m about toeat. Can I phone you back?
It is often used withjust:
We’re just about toset off for a walk. Do you want to come?
When used in the past,be about tocan refer to things that were going to happen but didn’t:
Iwas about tocomplain but he came over and apologised.
We don’t usebe about towith time expressions:
Iwas about tocall you.
Not:I was about to call you in ten minutes.
See also:
Be about to
Be able to
Abilities
Be able tois likecan. We use it to talk about abilities. We often use it in places where it is not possible to usecan. For example, it isn’t possible to usecanafter another modal verb:
Shewon’t be able toconcentrate.
Not:She won’t can concentrate.
Heshould be able towork in a team.
Not:He should can work in a team.
Be able tois a more formal alternative tocan:
I am very sorry but Iam not able togive you that information.(or, less formal:I cannot give you that information.)
Past achievement:couldorwas/were able to?
We usually usewas/were able to, notcouldto talk about past achievements in affirmative clauses. This is because they are facts, rather than possibilities:
Only one personwas able tobeat the record.
Not:Only one person could beat the record.
We usecouldn’tor, more formally,wasn’t/weren’t able toin negative clauses:
Weweren’t able tofinish the marathon in under four hours.(orWecouldn’tfinish the marathon …)
See also:
Can
Could
Be due to
Be due tois used to talk about things that are expected or planned to happen at a certain time. We often use it with a time expression:
Areyoudue tohand in homework today?
The train isdue toarrive at Glasgow Central at 12:12.
Be likely to
Be likely tois used to talk about how probable things are:
Areparents who have a lot of moneylikely tospoil their children?
It is often used to make comparisons with words likemoreandless:
I think menare more likely tospend a lot of money on food than women are.
A:I liked Budapest as well.
B:Yeah. I’mprobablyless likely togo back there than to Prague.
We also useit’s likelyfollowed bythat+ clause:
It’s likely thatsales will rise.
We form the negative ofbe likely toandbe likely thateither withnotor withunlikely.Unlikelyis more formal:
The company isnot likely tomake a profit in the second half of the year.
People areunlikely tolisten to him now because they know he lied.
Be meant to
Be meant tois used to talk about what is desirable, expected or intended:
A:It looks green to me.
B:Oh,isitmeant tobe a different colour?
Itwas meant tobe like a quiz and we were all in different teams and therewas meant tobe a fantastic prize.
Be supposed to
Be supposed tois used to talk about obligations and arrangements:
Where were you? Youwere supposed to beat the party!
You’re supposed to havean hour for lunch. That’s the law.
It’s also used to talk about people’s expectations or beliefs about something:
[talking about some medicine]
A:Take some of this.
B:What’sitsupposed todo?(What does it do to you?)
And then I’m gonna get a train over to Brussels which takes all day as well. It’s supposed tobe a nice route with forests and mountains and things.(gonnarepresents ‘going to’, as it is pronounced in informal speaking.)
See also:
Modality: other modal words and expressions