will be able to

USAGE SUMMARY

'will be able to' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something is likely to happen in the future. For example: "Once the vaccine has been approved, more people will be able to get it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"We will be able to count everything".

The New York Times

None will be able to ignore it.

The Economist

And nobody will be able to object.

The Economist

Nobody will be able to afford it".

The New York Times

It will be able to collect taxes.

The Economist

I will be able to train again.

The Guardian - Sport

"Suez will be able to use it".

The New York Times

It will be able to resume operations".

The Guardian

"Nobody will be able to live here".

The New York Times

You will be able to print guns.

The Guardian

We will be able to converse.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "will be able to" to express a future capability that is contingent on certain conditions being met. For instance, "If you complete the training, you "will be able to" operate the machinery."

Common error

Avoid using "will be able to" when a simpler form like "can" or "will" suffices. For example, instead of "You "will be able to" access the files tomorrow", say "You will access the files tomorrow."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "will be able to" functions as a modal verb phrase indicating future ability or possibility. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English. It suggests that an action or state will become possible at some point in the future. Examples from Ludwig show its use in expressing future capabilities across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "will be able to" is a versatile and grammatically sound expression used to denote future capabilities or possibilities. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s widely accepted and employed across diverse contexts, including news, science, and formal communications. While interchangeable with alternatives like "going to be able to" or "will be capable of", it's crucial to avoid redundancy and choose simpler forms like "will" or "can" when appropriate. Remember, "will be able to" signifies a future potential, distinguishing it from the present ability expressed by "can".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

will be capable of

Similar to "will be able to", but emphasizes inherent capability or potential.

going to be able to

A more informal way to express future ability, using the 'going to' construction.

shall be able to

Uses 'shall' instead of 'will', implying a formal or deterministic future ability.

will be in a position to

Emphasizes being in a suitable state or condition to do something in the future.

will have the capacity to

Focuses on having the inherent capacity, rather than just the ability, in the future.

can

Expresses a general ability or permission, differing from "will be able to" by lacking the future tense.

will have the opportunity to

Highlights the chance or occasion to do something in the future.

is poised to

Indicates readiness or likelihood, often implying imminent action, but lacks the explicit sense of ability.

has the potential to

Focuses on potential rather than a definite future ability.

is set to

This alternative does not refer to the subject's capacity to perform an action. Instead, it indicates a scheduled action.

FAQs

How can I use "will be able to" in a sentence?

Use "will be able to" to indicate a future capability or possibility. For example, "With the new software, we "will be able to" process data more efficiently."

What are some alternatives to "will be able to"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "going to be able to", "will be capable of", or simply use the verb "can" if the future context is already clear.

When is it best to use "will be able to" instead of "can"?

"Can" expresses a general ability, while "will be able to" specifically indicates a future ability or possibility. Use "will be able to" when referring to something that isn't currently possible but will be in the future.

Is "will can" grammatically correct instead of "will be able to"?

No, "will can" is grammatically incorrect. The correct way to express future ability is to use "will be able to". For example, instead of "He will can do it", say "He "will be able to" do it".