afford
If you can afford something, you have enough money to buy it. If you can't afford something, you don't have enough money to buy it.
It's too expensive – we can't afford it.
Do you think one day we'll be able to afford a new sofa?
Afford is almost always used with can, could, or be able to.
Be careful
Don't say that someone ‘affords’ something. Don't say, for example, ‘We afforded a new television’. Say ‘We were able to afford a new television’.
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Don't say that someone ‘affords’ something. Don't say, for example, ‘We afforded a new television’. Say ‘We were able to afford a new television’.
You say that someone can afford to have something or can afford to do something.
Imagine a situation where everybody can afford to have a car.
I can't afford to rent this flat.
Be careful
Don't say that someone ‘can afford having’ something or ‘can afford doing’ something.
Don't say that someone ‘can afford having’ something or ‘can afford doing’ something.
Be careful
Don't use a passive form of afford. Don't say that something ‘can be afforded’. Instead you say that people can afford it.
Don't use a passive form of afford. Don't say that something ‘can be afforded’. Instead you say that people can afford it.
We need to build houses that people can afford.