Ability, possibility, permission

The modal CAN is commonly used modal verb in English. We use it to express:

 Ability
 Opportunity
 Request
 Grant permission
 Show possibility or impossibility

ABILITY

Sheila can swim.

I can play the drums.
Can you speak Polish?

My children can't ski.

We can't cook well.

Can you touch my hand? ∼ Yes, I can.
With a burst of adrenaline, people can pick up heavy objects.
I can see you, but you can't hear me.

OPPORTUNITY

We don’t have anything to do. We can go outside.

I can help her if she needs.

The Smiths can join the barbecue.

Tim can play baseball with them.

Once school year starts you can use the gym.

If he wants, he can do the project with his desk mate.

REGUEST
Can I have a some sugar, please?

Can I go to the toilet?

Can we change the subject?

Can you give me this document please?

Can she stop talking?

Can our family have a shared bathroom?

Can they pass me the orders from the boss?

Can it go faster?

PERMISSION

I can stay for the night

if you want me to.

You can stay in bed longer today.

We can have some cookies as mum said.

She can open the window, I don’t

You can’t ask any questions.

Can I hand in my assignment earlier?

He can come in.

POSSIBILITY OR IMPOSSIBILITY

You can earn a lot of money in gaming.

He can guess why she is irritated.

Alcohol can cause blindness.

I know she can’t win the competition.

This car can be repaired in a short time.

My PC can crash any moment.

Jumping form that cliff can be risky.

THE FORM

Affirmative
 I can
You can
She can
He can
It can
We can
You can
They can

The verb form can is identical for all personal pronouns and does not undergo any
conjugation.

The verb we use after can is expressed with an infinitive without 'to'.

I can go to the shop.

We can visit grandma in the afternoon.

She can speak many foreign languages.

They can fly to Brasil in business.

Can you catch me later?

Can she shorthen thiss dress for me?

Where can I buy some fresh fruit here?

Henry can’t write with his left hand.

You can’t enroll to the course if you are not over 18.

Can we sleep here?

Can Mr Brown deliver a speech in 10 minutes?

Can you tell your name?

The negative form is created by adding the form 'not'.

 Negative
I can’t /cannot
You can’t /cannot
She can’t /cannot
He can’t /cannot
It can’t /cannot
We can’t /cannot
You can’t /cannot
They can’t /cannot
The form can't is used in English to
express that we cannot or we don't have a possibility to do something or that we are forbidden
or unable to do something.

We can also use it in questions with negative overtones.

Sandra can’t paint.

I can’t stay with you, sorry.

Jenna and her brother can’t pass the test as they made too many mistakes.

Can’t you give my money back?

I can’t believe what you are saying!

Can’t we stay at home today?

They can’t come to the party, they are sick.

The form cannot means not to be able to do something or not to have permission to do
something. This form is mostly used in formal texts.

You cannot snorkel without a tube.

Managers cannot agree on that matter.

You cannot cheat on the exam.

Students cannot stay in the exam room without permission.

Dogs cannot stay unattended.

The patients cannot administer the pills themselves.

Cannot our boss change the rules?

The separable form can not only occurs before 'not only.....but also'.

This cream can not only soften your skin but also remove wrinkles.

Our customers can not only buy the discounted clothes but also good quality shoes.

Danny can not only prepare you for the interview but also write the CV.

You can not only see Mona Lisa but also see many fantastic works of arts.

I can not only speak English but also German and Spanish.
THE EXCERCISES:

Excercise 1

1 Japanese can speak she

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2 water people under can’t breathe without support

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3 enter cannot clients with animals the premises

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4 the saxophone Tina but can can’t play she dance

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5 organize the assistant can meeting on Friday monthly?

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6 spaghetti cook they wines excellent can but not also serve only
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7 outdoors can wedding The Browns party organize their ?

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8 enough they flowers if do have bloom sun cannot not

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9 the boos can’t that see I trying am?

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10 day a fight my can have every brothers

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11 can’t because it Jenna room is my locked enter

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12 public for people transport Luxembourg can use free in

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13 game win our third this for the time team can
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14 in smoke you cannot it passengers the as disturbs bus

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15 only taste children can also here but delicious cookies not play
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Exercise 2

1. His sister only speaks Ukrainian. She ________ speak Polish.

2. I ________ write beautiful poems. It am very creative.

3. ________ your grandma sing? No, she ________ .

4. What sports ________ you do at school?

5. Hillary ________ come to take a test as she has broken her leg.

6. My friend does not want to participate in the play as he ________ act.

7. Flies ________ bark.

8. I really have a problem. I ________ find any documents on my desk.

9. We have got a new house but we ________ live there as it is not finished yet.

10. My sister is the best swimmer in the school because she ________ swim fast.

11. Who _________ help me with this problem?

12. Lilianne is three so she ________ jump on the biggest trampoline.

13. Cats ________ meow loudly.

14. _______ Misha come home?

Yes, he ________ .

15. I ________ tell you everything as everybody knows already.

Excercise 3.
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The formation of questions with the verb can is based on the principles of inversion, the
replacement of the subject and the modal verb.

Questions
Can I..?
 Can you ..?
Can she..?
Can he..?
Can it..?
Can we..?
Can you..?
Can they..?

Can I order two bottles of wine?

Can squirrels be home pets?

Can your worker assembly that part for me?

Can you hear my voice?

Can Jakob update the the system for me?

Can’t we wait a little longer?

Can’t she be more friendly?

Can’t you help him?

In the case of open questions, we add a question pronoun at the beginning of the question:

 Who
 Where
  Why
 What
 How
 Whose
 Which

Who can replace me on Saturday?

Where can I go to have fun at weekend?

Why can’t she work more effectively?

What can we say to the doctor?

How can he enter the house without the key?

Whose pen can this be?

Which perfume bottle can I try?

THE EXCERCISES:

Exercise 4

Daria can take care of the cat.

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Q…………………………………………………………………………………………………

We can see this move tomorrow.

N....................................................................................................................................................

Q…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jenna can be angry because she lost in the race.

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Q…………………………………………………………………………………………………

He can construct a small wooden house as he loves crafting.

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We can do overtime today or tomorrow.

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Mum can cook soup or she can heat the chicken form yesterday.

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Q…………………………………………………………………………………………………

I can row a boat.

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Q…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Jim and George can present the idea to the jury.

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Exercise 5

DANIEL Hi Jimie! What’s up? What are you holding in your hand?

JIM It’s my trumpet.

DANIEL (1) ______________ you play the it!? I’ve never seen you with an instrument.

JIM Yes, I (2) ______________

DANIEL Oh! What a surprise?

JIM (3) ______________ you play any instruments generally?

DANIEL No, I (4) ______________ , unfortunately. I (5) _____ only use some computer
programmes to make music. I love mixing!

JIM Oh! I (6) ______________ do this at all. I am a total disaster with computer.

DANIEL (7) ______________ you come to my house in the evening ? I (8) ______________
show you how to do it. It is easy!

JIM No, I (9) ______________ , I have my football classes today at 7 pm.

DANIEL So maybe we (10) ______________ see each other at weekend?

JIM Yes, sure! (11)______________ I take my laptop with me?

DANIEL Yep, we (12) ______________ install this software on your device. And

(13) ______________ you show me how to play the trumpet?

JIM Of course mate! We (14) ______________ play football later.

Exercise 6
________ can I buy vegetables? On the market.

________Alice stand on her head? No, she can’t.

________can’t we go outside? Because it is raining.

________ I ask for a cheese sandwich? No, sorry. Sandwiches have just finished.

________ can draw nicely? I think Sarah.

________ can I take on a trip? Flip flops, towel and something to drink.

________watermelons can I buy for $10? About three.

________ trousers might these be? Nick’s for sure!

________can you help me with my lessons? I can visit you every Monday.

________I plant some trees here? Yes, you can. There is enough space.

Exercise 7

1. Can you cross your eyes?

2. Can you crack your knuckles?

3. Can you hold your breath for 20 seconds?

4. Can you snap your fingers?

5. Can you whistle happy birthday?

6. Can you wiggle your ears?

7. Can you say thank you in 5 languages?

8. Can you juggle?

9. Can you name the capital cities of 7 countries?

10. Can you raise one of your eyebrows?
11. Can you draw a kitten?
12. Can you name 10 animals in English?
13. Can you say ‘ She sells seashells on the seashore’?
14. Can you write a word with your left hand?

15. Can you talk about your day for 1 minute?

16. Can you spell ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’?
17. Can you name 6 vegetables in English?
18. Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

19. Can you stand on your head?

20. Can you say very fast ‘red lorry yellow lorry’ for 5 times?
21. Can you say fast ‘stupid superstition’ for 3 times?
22. Can you say fast ‘the butter with the batter is the butter that is better’?
23. Can you do the splits?
24. Can you say fast ‘two tiny tigers took a taxi to town’ for 3 times?
25. Can you say fast ‘can you can a can as a canner can can a can’?
26. Can you say fast ‘Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers’?