Example sentences of "[pron] [verb] [adv] been able " in BNC.
Next page| No | Sentence |
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| 1 | Those leaders have tried to keep their empires isolated from the Darwinian laws of survival , despite the fact that none of the ‘ gods ’ as presented by them has ever been able to set aside the inexorable operation of those laws . |
| 2 | No-one has ever been able to explain precisely why the tropical forests and coral reefs contain so many species , but the two habitats do have several obvious features in common . |
| 3 | After I 'd kissed her goodbye I felt pretty happy because not only had I at last had an extremely enjoyable sexual experience , but I 'd also been able to give enjoyment . |
| 4 | It was Irene , for instance , who pointed out something I 'd never been able to put my finger on : that Tod ca n't talk and smile at the same time . |
| 5 | After the yard was the house that was built for , and due , so much more life than I 'd ever been able to give it . |
| 6 | I was allowed to record each group and I found the transcribing of the tapes less arduous as I had also been able to make notes . |
| 7 | The nightmares stopped instantly after this explanation , and I was able to give lectures , stand up for myself and speak in public — all of which I had never been able to do before . ’ |
| 8 | I had never been able to understand them then , but I sympathized with them now . |
| 9 | I had never been able to do that , not with such unselfconscious pleasure , perhaps because deep down I had resented his existence which was preventing me doing all the marvellous things I had intended to do in the world . |
| 10 | I had never been able to persuade her to accept any money for her kindness and tried to reciprocate by doing any small repairs she needed to her flat , and by supplying occasional tickets for the theatre , for the tennis at Wimbledon , and for the races at Epsom . |
| 11 | Even when she was well , I had never been able to relax because I never knew from one day to the next how I was going to find her . |
| 12 | ‘ And you , ’ I asked , hungry to question a culture I had only been able to observe , ‘ what do you consider yourself to be ? ’ |
| 13 | ‘ It 's the first time I 've ever been able to persuade Beefy to stop for treatment , ’ says Dave ‘ Rooster ’ Roberts , the new England cricket team physio who is looking after the walkers . |
| 14 | This is the only nine to five sales job I 've ever been able to offer anybody . |
| 15 | ‘ I 've always been able to do it , probably because I used to play soccer . |
| 16 | Except for the two years after Martin drowned I 've always been able to believe that at the heart of the universe there is love . ’ |
| 17 | ‘ I 've always been able to breathe . ’ |
| 18 | In my whole life of collecting and I suppose it 's a little bit to assuage my conscience I 've always been able to say to myself that I 'm allowed to have these things and enjoy them , but eventually they 're all going to museums . |
| 19 | ‘ I 've never been able to , ’ said Lucy . |
| 20 | I 've often felt desperate too , but I 've never been able to talk about it because people think you 're being superior : holier than human . |
| 21 | I 've never been able to think so clearly in my life before . |
| 22 | I 've never been able to think such extreme thoughts in my life before . |
| 23 | ‘ There 's a parochial side to Scotland that I 've never been able to accept . |
| 24 | It 's the other kind of thinking I 've never been able to muster , the long-term stuff , ‘ Never confuse strategy with tactics , ’ one of my tutors advised me , but I ca n't even remember what the words mean . |
| 25 | ‘ Of course I 've never been able to cook . |
| 26 | I 've never been able to say rum a widow . |
| 27 | She makes a sort of crackling noise which I 've never been able to explain : it may be contentment — or perhaps she 's asking for more . |
| 28 | But I 've never been able to write except when I was stone cold sober . |
| 29 | ‘ You know I 've never been able to combine being a father with analysis . |
| 30 | I 've never been able to speak Spanish before , apart from a few odd phrases like spaghetti bolognese and virtuosi di Roma ! |