CAN AND CAN’T

WE USE THE MODAL CAN TO EXPRESS THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE SOM HABILITIES

TO WRITE POSITIVE SENTENCES WE HAVE TO RESPECT THIS STRUCTURE:

SUBJECT+ CAN+INFINITIVE +COMPLEMENT

I CAN PLAY SOCCER

HE CAN SWIM VERY WELL

THEY CAN DANCE AT THE DISCO

TO WRITE NEGATIVE SENTENCES WE HAVE TO RESPECT THIS STRUCTURE:

SUBJECT+ CAN’T+INFINITIVE +COMPLEMENT

YOU CAN`T SLEEP IN THE STREET

SHE CAN`T FIX VERY WELL

THEY CAN’T TYPE IN THE COMPUTER

TO WRITE QUESTIONS SENTENCES WE HAVE TO RESPECT THIS STRUCTURE:

CAN+ SUBJECT+INFINITIVE +COMPLEMENT?

CAN YOU WATCH TV?

YES I CAN NO I CAN’T

CAN HE STUDY ENGLISH?

YES HE CAN NO HE CAN’T

EXERCISES

1. SAY WHAT YOU CAN DO OR CAN’T DO. CHOOSE CAN OR CAN’T ACCORDING TO YOU.
A. I _________SPEAK CHINESE.
B. I ________SING VERY WELL.
C. I ________RUN 20 KILOMETRES.
D. I ________RIDE A BICYCLE.
E. I _________PLAY BASKET.
F. I ________SWIM.
G. I _________UNDERSTAND MY TEACHER OF ENGLISH.
H. I _________DANCE ROCK
2. COMPLETE WITH CAN OR CAN’T

A. I KNOW THE ANSWER; I______ ANSWER THE QUESTION NOW.

B. SHE IS GOOD AT THE PIANO; SHE_____ PLAY THE PIANO VERY WELL.
C. THIS TEST IS VERY DIFFICULT; I_______ ANSWER ANY QUESTION.
D. MARIA CAN SPEAK ENGLISH BUT SHE_______ SPEAK FRENCH.
E. YOU______ SLEEP TODAY BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY NERVOUS.
F. JUAN______ PLAY TENNIS VERY WELL; HE IS A GOOD TENNIS PLAYER.

3. PUT IN ORDER THESE WORDS:

a. SCHOOL/ CAN’T/ TO/ SHE/ GO. _______________________________

b. LANGUAGES/ CAN/ OTHER/ SPEAK/ SHE? _________________________
c. CAN’T/ HE/ LETTER/ A/ WRITE. ____________________________
d. YOU/ UNDER/ CAN’T/ WATER/ THE/ RUN. ______________________
e. HAVE WE TAXI A CAN? ____________________

NOTE: WE HAVE TO LEARN THIS EXPRESSION:

“BE” GOOD AT

SUBJECT+BE GOOD AT+GERUND+COMPLEMENT

FOR EXAMPLE:

MARY CAN PLAY VOLLEYBALL VERY WELL SHE IS GOOD AT PLAYING VOLLEYBALL

MARY CAN’T SING POP MUSIC SHE ISN’T GOOD AT SINGING POP MUSIC

EXERCISES:

WRITE A DIFFERENT WAY TO EACH PHRASE. USE BE GOOD AT

BOB CAN DANCE SALSA VERY WELL ___________________________________

I CAN USE A COMPUTER VERY VELL ___________________________________

YU CAN’T TPYE LETTERS ___________________________________

MY FRIEND AND I CAN RUN VERY FAST ___________________________________

ALFRED AND KATHY CAN’T SPEAK FRENCH ___________________________________

MARLON CAN’T COOK FRENCH FOOD ___________________________________

MY COUSINS CAN’T PLAY CHESS ___________________________________