Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com CAN, CANNOT, COULD & COULDN’T

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com Example: I can play football. Example: I could play football when I was in school

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com Contractions of cannot and could not are Can’t and Couldn’t For Example: 1) Marc can’t play the music now as he forgot the tune. He could play it so well before. 2) Lucy couldn’t go to her aunt’s house as it was raining.

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com We 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) 1) We can see the river from our living room. 2) Can you speak English fluently? The question starts with can followed by the subject and then a verb 3) She can come and meet you tomorrow if you want.

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com I am afraid I can’t come for shopping now. ( Be) able to ……………. Is used instead of can sometimes, but can is more usual. Ex: - Are you able to play football?. Can has only two forms, can (present) and could (past). So sometimes it is necessary to use ( be) able to.

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com I can’t sleep but I haven’t been able to sleep recently. (can has no perfect tense) Don can come tomorrow but Don might be able to come tomorrow. (can has no infinitive) Note: to see, to come are infinitive forms of Verbs

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com We use could especially with: see/ hear/ smell/ taste/ feel/ remember/ understand 1) When we entered into the safari, we could see many lions. 2) She spoke English in French accent but I could understand what she said.

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com  Could - to say that somebody had the general ability or permission to do something.  Could + verb’s first form Examples: 1) My grandfather could play tennis. -- ( ability) 2) We were completely free. We could do what we wanted. -- (we were allowed to do...) ( permission)

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com If we are talking about what happened in a particular situation, we use was/were able to (Not could) Examples: 1) The fire spread through the building quickly but everybody was able to escape or everybody managed to escape. (not 'could escape') 2) 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

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com Alex 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. Alex 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 ) Note: can or could are used for general ability but something which was unusual there to be able to or manage to is used. But

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com 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. 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. Put the correct form of either "can" or "be able to" for each sentence. Only use "be able to" if absolutely necessary!

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com 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. 10. 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. 11. I hope to __________ speak English very well after this course finishes.

Can, Cannot, Could And Couldn’t © 2016 albert-learning.com Reviewed By Reviewed On Comments / Changes Made Ruchika05/09/2015ok