Modal verbs (1)

CAN (can, can’t, could, couldn’t

In English we use can / can’t in the present and could / couldn’t in the past to
express the ability to do things, that is, what we can or know how to do.

He can run 100 metres in 12 seconds. El puede correr 100 metros …

I couldn’t speak English when I was little. Yo no sabía hablar …

Exercise 1 Ask and answer questions about the pictures, using

can and can’t.

1. A: Can she play tennis ?

B: Yes, she can .
A: Can she play the violin ?
B: No, she can’t. She can play tennis
but she can’t play the violin .

2. A: Can he see the hills ?

B: Yes, he can .
A: Can he see the sea ?
B No, he can`t
but he can see the hills .

3. A: Can they speak japanese ?

B: Yes, they can .
A: can they speak french ?
B No, they can`t
but they can speak japanese .
1
Página
 4. A: can he eat the chips ?
B: Yes, he can .
A: can he eat the fish ?
B No, he can`t

but he can eat the chips.

Exercise2 Make sentences about the fabulous Plum family using could.

1. Mr Plum / speak / 10 languages when he / be / 20

Mr Plum could speak 10 languages when he was 20.
2. Simon Plum / drink / 10 litres of orange juice a day when he / be / 5
Simon plum could drink 10 litres of orange juice a say when he was 5
3. Mrs Plum / swim / 10 kilometres when she / be / 21
Mrs. Plum could swim 10 kilometres when she was 21
4. Gransmother Plum / dance / all evening when she / be / 60
Gransmosther plum could dance alla evening when she was 60
5. Joan Plum / ride / a bike when she / be / 2
joan plum could ride a nike when she was 2

Exercise 3 Complete the sentences with can, can’t or couldn’t and the
verbs in parentheses.

1. You don’t have to shout. I can hear (hear) you very well.
2. I couldn`t watch (watch) that programme last night because I
had to go out.
3. He couldn`t play (play) last week because he was injured.
4. He eats in restaurants all the time because he can`t cook (cook).
5. I can`t give (give) you a lift1 in my car because it isn’t working
at the moment.
6. I didn’t have a good seat in the theatre, so I couldn`t see (see)
the stage very well.
2

7. John doesn’t need a calculator. He can (do) very difficult

sums in his head.
2

1
Give a lift: llevar
Página

2
Stage: escenario

Exercise 3 Complete the chart according the pictures.

She dreams of learning to swim He can't go into the water because he's
afraid of me
she