able to

The construction to be able to (do something), with an active to-infinitive, is a natural part of the language, extending to inanimate as well as animate subjects

(By his proceeding to the beach...the next phase of the attack was able to proceed—New Yorker, 1986).

It plays a useful role in compensating for the deficiencies of can in the future and perfect tenses (will be able to / have not been able to), with modal verbs such as might (I might be able to), and with verbs such as become, appear, and seem (They don't seem to be able to do it). When the infinitive is passive, however, it is better to use can or could, and to avoid able to, which sounds too forced

(No evidence that an air rifle was able to be fired—Times (heading of Law Report), 1988).

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