diff --git a/lib/cancan/ability.rb b/lib/cancan/ability.rb
index c4874de..0d953bc 100644
--- a/lib/cancan/ability.rb
+++ b/lib/cancan/ability.rb
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ module CanCan
     #   end
     #
     # Also see the RSpec Matchers to aid in testing.
-    def can?(action, subject, *extra_args)
-      match = relevant_rules_for_match(action, subject).detect do |rule|
-        rule.matches_conditions?(action, subject, extra_args)
+    def can?(action, subject, attribute = nil)
+      match = relevant_rules_for_match(action, subject, attribute).detect do |rule|
+        rule.matches_conditions?(action, subject, attribute)
       end
       match ? match.base_behavior : false
     end
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ module CanCan
     #     # check the database and return true/false
     #   end
     #
-    def can(action = nil, subject = nil, conditions = nil, &block)
-      rules << Rule.new(true, action, subject, conditions, block)
+    def can(*args, &block)
+      rules << Rule.new(true, *args, &block)
     end
 
     # Defines an ability which cannot be done. Accepts the same arguments as "can".
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ module CanCan
     #     product.invisible?
     #   end
     #
-    def cannot(action = nil, subject = nil, conditions = nil, &block)
-      rules << Rule.new(false, action, subject, conditions, block)
+    def cannot(*args, &block)
+      rules << Rule.new(false, *args, &block)
     end
 
     # Alias one or more actions into another one.
@@ -282,16 +282,16 @@ module CanCan
 
     # Returns an array of Rule instances which match the action and subject
     # This does not take into consideration any hash conditions or block statements
-    def relevant_rules(action, subject)
+    def relevant_rules(action, subject, attribute = nil)
       rules.reverse.select do |rule|
         rule.expanded_actions = expand_aliases(:actions, rule.actions)
         rule.expanded_subjects = expand_aliases(:subjects, rule.subjects)
-        rule.relevant? action, subject
+        rule.relevant? action, subject, attribute
       end
     end
 
-    def relevant_rules_for_match(action, subject)
-      relevant_rules(action, subject).each do |rule|
+    def relevant_rules_for_match(action, subject, attribute)
+      relevant_rules(action, subject, attribute).each do |rule|
         if rule.only_raw_sql?
           raise Error, "The can? and cannot? call cannot be used with a raw sql 'can' definition. The checking code cannot be determined for #{action.inspect} #{subject.inspect}"
         end
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ module CanCan
     end
 
     def relevant_rules_for_query(action, subject)
-      relevant_rules(action, subject).each do |rule|
+      relevant_rules(action, subject, nil).each do |rule|
         if rule.only_block?
           raise Error, "The accessible_by call cannot be used with a block 'can' definition. The SQL cannot be determined for #{action.inspect} #{subject.inspect}"
         end
diff --git a/lib/cancan/rule.rb b/lib/cancan/rule.rb
index 769f006..9c22b27 100644
--- a/lib/cancan/rule.rb
+++ b/lib/cancan/rule.rb
@@ -10,28 +10,29 @@ module CanCan
     # value. True for "can" and false for "cannot". The next two arguments are the action
     # and subject respectively (such as :read, @project). The third argument is a hash
     # of conditions and the last one is the block passed to the "can" call.
-    def initialize(base_behavior, action, subject, conditions, block)
-      raise Error, "You are not able to supply a block with a hash of conditions in #{action} #{subject} ability. Use either one." if conditions.kind_of?(Hash) && !block.nil?
+    def initialize(base_behavior, action = nil, subject = nil, *extra_args, &block)
       @match_all = action.nil? && subject.nil?
       @base_behavior = base_behavior
-      @actions = [action].flatten.compact.map(&:to_sym)
-      @subjects = [subject].flatten.compact.map(&:to_sym)
-      @conditions = conditions || {}
+      @actions = [action].flatten
+      @subjects = [subject].flatten
+      @attributes = [extra_args.shift].flatten if extra_args.first.kind_of?(Symbol) || extra_args.first.kind_of?(Array) && extra_args.first.first.kind_of?(Symbol)
+      raise Error, "You are not able to supply a block with a hash of conditions in #{action} #{subject} ability. Use either one." if extra_args.first && !block.nil?
+      @conditions = extra_args.first || {}
       @block = block
     end
 
-    # Matches both the subject and action, not necessarily the conditions
-    def relevant?(action, subject)
+    # Matches the subject, action, and given attribute. Conditions are not checked here.
+    def relevant?(action, subject, attribute)
       subject = subject.values.first if subject.class == Hash
-      @match_all || (matches_action?(action) && matches_subject?(subject))
+      @match_all || (matches_action?(action) && matches_subject?(subject) && matches_attribute?(attribute))
     end
 
     # Matches the block or conditions hash
-    def matches_conditions?(action, subject, extra_args)
+    def matches_conditions?(action, subject, attribute)
       if @match_all
-        call_block_with_all(action, subject, extra_args)
+        call_block_with_all(action, subject, attribute)
       elsif @block && subject_object?(subject)
-        @block.call(subject, *extra_args)
+        @block.arity == 1 ? @block.call(subject) : @block.call(subject, attribute)
       elsif @conditions.kind_of?(Hash) && subject.class == Hash
         nested_subject_matches_conditions?(subject)
       elsif @conditions.kind_of?(Hash) && subject_object?(subject)
@@ -87,6 +88,10 @@ module CanCan
       @expanded_subjects.include?(:all) || @expanded_subjects.include?(subject.to_sym) # || matches_subject_class?(subject)
     end
 
+    def matches_attribute?(attribute)
+      @attributes.nil? || attribute.nil? || @attributes.include?(attribute.to_sym)
+    end
+
     # TODO deperecate this
     def matches_subject_class?(subject)
       @expanded_subjects.any? { |sub| sub.kind_of?(Module) && (subject.kind_of?(sub) || subject.class.to_s == sub.to_s || subject.kind_of?(Module) && subject.ancestors.include?(sub)) }
@@ -130,11 +135,11 @@ module CanCan
       matches_conditions_hash?(parent, @conditions[parent.class.name.downcase.to_sym] || {})
     end
 
-    def call_block_with_all(action, subject, extra_args)
+    def call_block_with_all(action, subject, attribute)
       if subject_object? subject
-        @block.call(action, subject_name(subject), subject, *extra_args)
+        @block.call(action, subject_name(subject), subject, attribute)
       else
-        @block.call(action, subject, nil, *extra_args)
+        @block.call(action, subject, nil, attribute)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/cancan/ability_spec.rb b/spec/cancan/ability_spec.rb
index 68c3753..35a97fd 100644
--- a/spec/cancan/ability_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cancan/ability_spec.rb
@@ -35,11 +35,9 @@ describe CanCan::Ability do
     @ability.can?(:paint, :cars).should be_false
   end
 
-  it "allows strings instead of symbols" do
-    @ability.can "paint", "fences"
+  it "allows strings instead of symbols in ability check" do
+    @ability.can :paint, :fences
     @ability.can?("paint", "fences").should be_true
-    @ability.can "access", "all"
-    @ability.can?("wax", "cars").should be_true
   end
 
 
@@ -182,7 +180,7 @@ describe CanCan::Ability do
     @block_called.should be_true
   end
 
-  it "should raise an error when attempting to use a block with a hash condition since it's not likely what they want" do
+  it "raises an error when attempting to use a block with a hash condition since it's not likely what they want" do
     lambda {
       @ability.can :read, :ranges, :published => true do
         false
@@ -191,6 +189,52 @@ describe CanCan::Ability do
   end
 
 
+  # Attributes
+
+  it "allows permission on attributes" do
+    @ability.can :update, :users, :name
+    @ability.can :update, :users, [:email, :age]
+    @ability.can?(:update, :users, :name).should be_true
+    @ability.can?(:update, :users, :email).should be_true
+    @ability.can?(:update, :users, :password).should be_false
+  end
+
+  it "allows permission on all attributes when none are given" do
+    @ability.can :update, :users
+    @ability.can?(:update, :users, :password).should be_true
+  end
+
+  it "allows strings when chekcing attributes" do
+    @ability.can :update, :users, :name
+    @ability.can?(:update, :users, "name").should be_true
+  end
+
+  it "combines attribute check with conditions hash" do
+    @ability.can :update, :ranges, :begin => 1
+    @ability.can :update, :ranges, :name, :begin => 2
+    @ability.can?(:update, 1..3, :foobar).should be_true
+    @ability.can?(:update, 2..4, :foobar).should be_false
+    @ability.can?(:update, 2..4, :name).should be_true
+    @ability.can?(:update, 3..5, :name).should be_false
+  end
+
+  it "passes attribute to block and nil if no attribute checked" do
+    @ability.can :update, :ranges do |range, attribute|
+      attribute == :name
+    end
+    @ability.can?(:update, 1..3, :name).should be_true
+    @ability.can?(:update, 2..4).should be_false
+  end
+
+  it "passes attribute to block for global can definition" do
+    @ability.can do |action, subject, object, attribute|
+      attribute == :name
+    end
+    @ability.can?(:update, 1..3, :name).should be_true
+    @ability.can?(:update, 2..4).should be_false
+  end
+
+
   # Cannot
 
   it "offers cannot? method which inverts can?" do
@@ -259,7 +303,7 @@ describe CanCan::Ability do
     end
   end
 
-  it "should raise access denied exception with default message if not specified" do
+  it "raises access denied exception with default message if not specified" do
     begin
       @ability.authorize! :read, :books
     rescue CanCan::AccessDenied => e
diff --git a/spec/cancan/rule_spec.rb b/spec/cancan/rule_spec.rb
index c679eff..fddf588 100644
--- a/spec/cancan/rule_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cancan/rule_spec.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ require "spec_helper"
 describe CanCan::Rule do
   before(:each) do
     @conditions = {}
-    @rule = CanCan::Rule.new(true, :read, :integers, @conditions, nil)
+    @rule = CanCan::Rule.new(true, :read, :integers, @conditions)
   end
 
   it "should return no association joins if none exist" do
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ describe CanCan::Rule do
   end
 
   it "should return no association joins if conditions is nil" do
-    rule = CanCan::Rule.new(true, :read, :integers, nil, nil)
+    rule = CanCan::Rule.new(true, :read, :integers)
     rule.associations_hash.should == {}
   end
 end