© 2011 wheresjenny.com can, could, can’ t and couldn’t example : i can play foot ball. (i am...

© 2011 wheresjenny.com

Can, could , can’ t and couldn’t

CAN- shows ability in the present

Example: I can play foot ball. (I am able to play foot ball)

COULD- shows the ability in the pastEx: I could play foot ball when I was in school.

Negation of can and could is cannot and could not Marc cannot play the music now as he forgot the tune . He could play it so well before

Lucy could not go to her aunt’s house as it was raining.


Contractions of cannot and could not are and

The above sentence can be read like this:

Marc can’t play the music now as he forgot the tune . He could play it so well before

Lucy couldn’t go to her aunt’s house as it was

raining.

Can, could contractions

can’tcouldn’t


Can + direct verbWe use can to say that something is possible and somebody has the ability to do something.

We use can + direct verb. (can see/ can do etc)

We can see the river from our living room.

Can you speak English fluently? The questions starts with can followed by the subject and then a verb

She can come and meet you tomorrow if

you want.

Can + direct verb


The negative is can’t = cannot I am afraid I can’t come for shopping now.

( Be) able to ……………. Is used of can sometimes, but can is more usual.

Ex: - Are you able to play foot ball?.

Can has only two forms, can (present) and could (past). So sometimes it is necessary to use ( be) able to

Can’t and be able to

instead


Compare ‘can’ and ‘be able to’

I can’t sleep.

I haven’t been able to sleep recently. (can has no prefect

tense)

Don can come tomorrow.

Don might be able to come tomorrow. (can has no infinitive)

Note: to see, to come are infinitive forms of verbs.

Can and be able to

but

but


Could is the past of can

When we entered into the safari, we could see many

lions. She spoke English in French accent but I could understand what she said.

We use could especially with: see/ hear/ smell/ taste/ feel/ remember/ understand

could


Could- to say that somebody had the general ability or permission to do something.

Could + verb’s first form

My grandfather could play tennis.– ( abilitly)

We were completely free. We could do what we wanted. (= we were allowed to do...)—( permission)

Could –general ability General ability


If we are talking about what happened in a particular situation, we use was/were able to..... .. (Not could):

The fire spread through the building quickly but everybody was able to escape or everybody managed to escape, (not 'could escape')

They didn't want to come with us at first but we managed to persuade them or ...we were able to persuade them, (not 'could persuade')

But


COMPAREAlex was an excellent soccer player. He could beat anybody. (=

he had the general ability to beat anybody)

Alex and Jack had a game of tennis yesterday. Alf played very well but in the end Jack managed to beat him or ...was able to

beat him. (= he was able to beat him in this particular game)

compare

But

Note: can or could are used for general ability but something which was unusual there to be able to or manage to is used


Exercise

Put the correct form of either "can" or "be able to" for each sentence. Only use "be able to" if absolutely necessary!

1. I haven't _____________ concentrate recently at work. don't know what it is.

2. My brother __________ cook very well. He is a chef in a French restaurant.

3. When he was only 2, my friend Lee __________ speak quite well.

4. I have to go to a business dinner tomorrow night so I ___________ (not) come to the party. I'm very sorry.

5. Kevin lived in Italy for six years, so he must ________ speak Italian quite well. He will help you with your homework.

Exercise


6. This telephone is terrible. I __________ (not) hear you at all.

7. When the car drove into the lake, one of the passengers __________ (not) open the door and had to be rescued.

8. Despite the arrival of the storm, they ________ finish the football match.

9. The house was totally empty all day yesterday and I ________ finish that book I was reading.

11. My mother tells me that her grandfather was one of the best musicians of his time in the city and ________ play the piano like a professional.

12. I hope to __________ speak English very well after this course finishes.

Exercise

© 2011 wheresjenny.com can, could, can’ t and couldn’t example : i can play foot ball. (i am...

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