ABILITY PERMISSION REQUESTS POSSIBILITY

 Can is used to talk
about general ability in
the present and could is
used in the past:
I can speak French.
I could read at the age of
5.
 When we talk about a
specific ability in the past,
be able to is used instead
of can:
I was able to find the
street because I had a
map.
 In the negative both
verbs are possible:
I wasn’t able or couldn’t
open the door.
 Both can and could
are used to ask, give or
deny permission in the
present. Could is more
polite than can:
Can I open the window?
-Yes, you can.
Could I go to the toilet?
OK.
 When we talk about
the past we use be
allowed to instead.
I wasn’t allowed to go out
at night.
He was allowed to drive
his father’s car while he
was out of town.
 Can is also used to
ask for something:
Can you pass me the salt,
please?
 Could is also possible
in a request if you want to
be more polite:
Could you lend me your
dictionary, please?
 Remember that
requests with could do
not refer to the past, they
refer to the near future.
 Can is used to talk
about general possibility:
Anyone can become
famous if they know the
right people.
 Remember that for
particular possibility we
use could, may or might:
He could/may/ might be
at home because the light
is on.
 Can´t and couldn’t
are also used to talk
about logical necessity:
This can´t be true. I think
you are lying to me.
He couldn’t have stolen
the car as he wasn’t in
town.

Fill in the blanks using can, can´t, could or couldn’t

1. Peter _____________ sleep yesterday because he heard a noise and

was very afraid.
2. Steve _____________ play basketball very well. He is the best player
in his school team.
3. Dave _____________ afford to pay the phone bill as it’s very
expensive.
4. Yesterday we ______________ go out because of the heavy rain. We
had to stay at home and got really bored.
5. ________ your brother cook?- Yes, he _______. He´s an excellent
cook and often helps our mother in the kitchen.
6. _______ your father go to work yesterday? – No, he ________. He had
a temperature and a terrible headache.
7. “_______ you tell me a tale, dad?” – Of course, I ________, but it
____________ be a long one as it is a bit late.”
8. Lisa and Dave _____________ get married until Fred found a job as an
accountant in a big firm.
9. “___________ you show me the green T-shirt?” – “Yes, of course. Here
you are.”
10. Now Tom _________ drive a car as he got his driving license last week.
He´s really proud and is looking forward to buying his first car.
11. “ ___________ you sew?”- No, I ____________ , but my grandmother
___________. She usually makes me all my dresses.
12. Pam and Bill _________ be at home because they went on holiday
yesterday. They must be at the beach by now.

Write a sentence using the clues.

1. Cats /swim.  __________________________________

2. Dogs /climb /trees.  __________________________________

3. Kangaroos / jump.  __________________________________

4. Parrots / speak.  __________________________________

5. Penguins / fly.  __________________________________

6. Camels / walk/ for one month/ with no water __________________________________

7 Tortoises / run fast.  __________________________________

8 Elephants / live /until they're seventy.  __________________________________

8 Monkeys / grab / things.  __________________________________