Definitions
What does "can" express?
Ability or possibility
Explanation: "Can" is commonly used to indicate someone’s capability to do something or the possibility of an event occurring.
"He _____ run a marathon."
can
Explanation: "Can" indicates that he has the ability to run a marathon.
True or False: "Can" is used only for ability
False. It can also express permission.
Explanation: "Can" serves both to indicate ability and to ask for or grant permission.
How do you express "was able to" using "can"?
Could
Explanation: "Could" is the past tense form of "can," used to express past ability.
How would you ask about someone's ability to swim?
Can you swim?
Explanation: This question uses "can" to inquire about someone’s ability.
= "be able to" to inquire about someone’s ability, which is a more formal way to ask the same thing.
What does "be able to" indicate?
Capability in specific contexts.
Explanation: "Be able to" emphasizes an individual’s capability, often in relation to a particular situation or timeframe.
"They will _____ see the concert next week."
be able to
"Will be able to" indicates a future capability to attend the concert.
"I can to swim."
Incorrect. The correct form is "I can swim."
Explanation: The verb "can" should be followed directly by the base form of the verb, without "to."
Provide the past tense form of "be able to."
Was/were able to
Explanation: "Was/were able to" indicates a specific instance of being capable in the past.
How would you ask if someone was able to join a meeting last week?
Were you able to join the meeting last week?
Explanation: This question uses the past tense "were" to inquire about a specific past capability.
What kind of permission does "can" convey?
Informal permission
Explanation: "Can" is often used to ask for or grant informal permission (e.g., "Can I leave early?").
"I _____ help you with your homework."
can
Explanation: "Can" expresses the speaker’s ability to assist with homework.
True or False: "I could to help you" is correct.
False. It should be "I could help you."
Explanation: Similar to "can," the verb "could" must be followed directly by the base verb without "to."
"Last year, I _____ travel to Europe."
was able to
Explanation: This emphasizes a specific instance of successfully traveling to Europe last year.
Form a question: "You can help me?"
Can you help me?
Explanation: The correct structure for a yes/no question is to invert the subject and the modal verb.
What is the difference between "can" and "may"?
"Can" refers to ability, while "may" refers to permission.
Explanation: "Can" focuses on whether someone has the ability to do something, whereas "may" is used to formally ask for or grant permission.
"She _____ not attend the meeting tomorrow.
cannot
Explanation: "Cannot" indicates that she does not have the ability or opportunity to attend.
Choose the correct sentence: "She can to play guitar" or "She can play guitar."
She can play guitar.
Explanation: The correct form omits "to" after "can."
"He _____ not finish the race yesterday."
was not able to.
Explanation: This indicates that he lacked the capability to finish the race on that specific day.
How do you ask about future ability? "Will you be able to...?"
Will you be able to attend the party?
Explanation: This question uses "will be able to" to inquire about future capability.
In what situations might "be able to" be preferred over "can"?
When discussing future abilities or specific circumstances.
Explanation: "Be able to" is often used in future tenses or when highlighting a particular instance of capability.
"Will you _____ join us for dinner?"
be able to
Explanation: "Be able to" inquires about the future capability to join for dinner.
"He is able to not come to the party."
Incorrect. The correct form is "He is not able to come to the party."
Explanation: The placement of "not" in this sentence is incorrect; it should precede "able."
How would you say "I can't finish the report today" in the past tense?
I was not able to finish the report then.
Explanation: "Was not able to" indicates that at that specific time in the past, the speaker lacked the ability or opportunity to complete the report.
How would you inquire about someone’s permission? "I can go to the concert?"
Can I go to the concert?
Explanation: This question uses "can" to ask for permission in an informal way.