PROFESOR: BELZAZAR OYARZÚN M.
MODAL VERBS
ABILITY: CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO
CAN/CAN NOT (CAN’T)
Can is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use can to:
talk about possibility and ability
make requests
ask for or give permission
Can: Possibility and Ability
We use can to say that someone has the ability to do something:
She can drive a car.
John can speak Spanish.
I cannot hear you. (I can't hear you.)
Can you listen to me?
Can: Requests and Orders
We often use can in a question to ask somebody to do something. The use of can in this way is
informal (between friends and family):
Can you make a cup of coffee, please?
Can you put the TV on?
Can you come here a minute?
Can you be quiet!
Can: Permission
We sometimes use can to ask or give permission for something:
a) Can I smoke in this room?
b) You can't smoke here, but you can smoke in the garden.
We use can like this: We form questions with can like this:
I I
You You
He walk He work
She
It
We
can write
sing
etc.
can She
It
We
play
talk ?
They They
PROFESOR: BELZAZAR OYARZÚN M.
COULD/COULD NOT (COULDN’T)
Could is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use could to:
talk about past possibility or ability
make requests
Could: Past Possibility or Ability
We use could to talk about what was possible in the past, what we were able or free to do:
I could swim very well when I was 6 years old.
My grandfather could speak seven languages.
When we arrived home, we could not open the door. (...couldn't open the door.)
Could you understand what he was saying?
Could: Requests
We often use could in a question to ask somebody to do something. The use of could in this way
is fairly polite (formal):
Could you tell me where the bank is, please?
Could you send me a catalogue, please?
We use could like this: We form questions with could like this:
I I
You You
He swim He work
She
It
We
could write
sing
etc.
could She
It
We
play
wait ?
They They
PROFESOR: BELZAZAR OYARZÚN M.
BE ABLE TO
Be able to is not a modal verb. We sometimes use it instead of can and could,
We use be able to:
to talk about ability
Be able to: ability
I am able to speak two languages
My mother is able to go to the opera.
The driver was able to stop just in time.
Are you able to swim well?
We use be able to like this: We form questions with be able to like this:
I am am I
You are are You
He drive He wait
She
It
is able to sing
walk
is She able to
It
drive
sing ?
We are talk are We swim
They are are They
PRACTICE
I. - LOOK AT THE PICTURES AND MAKE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS USING CAN AND CAN’T.
A: _______________________________?
B: Yes, __________________________
A: _______________________________?
B: Yes, __________________________
PROFESOR: BELZAZAR OYARZÚN M.
II. – COMPLETE THE SENTENCES USING CAN, CAN’T, COULD OR COULDN’T AND ONE OF THE
VERBS FROM THE BOX.
hear play land understand help
come phone drive speak see read
1 She __________________ three languages.
2 He ____________________ to the party because he had an exam the next day.
3 You _________________________ a car without a licence.
4 Sally ______________________ music but she __________________ the violin beautifully.
Jack ______________________ very well when he was younger but now he needs to wear
5
glasses all the time.
6 I ___________________________ you with your homework now. I’m too busy.
I’m sorry. Could you say that again? I ______________________ you because the children
7
were shouting.
I _______________________ British people when I first came to Britain but it’s easier for me
8
now.
9 I ________________________ you because our phone wasn’t working but it’s all right now.
10 Helicopters are very useful here because they ______________________________ anywhere.
III. - PUT THE WORDS IN BRACKETS ( ) IN THE RIGHT ORDER TO MAKE QUESTIONS.
(have – a return ticket to York – could – please – I)
1
_________________________________________________
(please – I – may – a glass of orange juice – have)
2
_________________________________________________
(we – listen to your new CD – can)
3
_________________________________________________
(your phone – please – use – I – can)
4
_________________________________________________
(please – the menu – pass – you – could)
5
_________________________________________________
(can – this letter for me – you – post)
6
_________________________________________________
IV. - WRITE WAS ABLE TO OR WERE ABLE TO IN THESE SENTENCES.
1 I ________________________ get the last ticket for the concert.
2 After waiting for a long tine, we ______________________ go into the museum.
3 They ______________________ buy a new carpet yesterday.
4 I _____________________ eat three plates of pasta in the restaurant last night!
5 Our friends __________________________ visit us yesterday afternoon.
6 I ________________________ finish my homework in half an hour today.
7 She _______________________ have a long holiday last year.
8 We ________________________ ski in Scotland last weekend.
PROFESOR: BELZAZAR OYARZÚN M.
V. - READ ABOUT THIS STUDENT’S ABILITY IN ENGLISH. THEN COMPLETE THE STATEMENTS FOR
EACH OF THEM.
Student’s name: Fernando Ochoa.
English Language Ability Questionnaire.
skill now before this course
1 Understand conversational English
2 Understand recorded English
3 Read an English newspaper
4 Read an English novel
5 speak on the phone
6 speak with a group of people
7 Write a social letter
8 Write a business letter
9 order a meal in English
10 go shopping
Before this course he couldn’t understand conversational English
1
Now he can understand conversational English.
He couldn’t understand recorded announcements before the course,
2
and he still can’t understand them.
He _______________________________ now, and he ____________________________
3
before, too.
He _________________________ before the course, and he still ___________________
4
Now he __________________________, but before the course he __________________
5
Before the course, he __________________________, but now he _________________
6
7 Before the course, he _______________________. Now he ___________________
8 ____________________________________________________________________
9 ____________________________________________________________________
10
____________________________________________________________________
PROFESOR: BELZAZAR OYARZÚN M.
VI. - NOW COMPLETE THESE SENTENCES USING COULD, COULDN’T OR WAS/WERE ABLE TO.
1 My grandfather was a very clever man. He _____________ speak five languages.
2 I looked everywhere for the book but I ______________ find it.
3 They didn’t want to come with us at first but we ___________________ persuade them.
4 Laura had hurt her leg and _______________________________ walk very well.
5 Sue wasn’t at home when I phoned but I _____________________ contact her at her office.
6 I looked very carefully and I __________________________ see a figure in the distance.
I wanted to buy some tomatoes. The first shop I went to didn’t have any but I _____________
7
get some in the next shop
8 My grandmother loved music. She_________________________ play the piano very well.
9 A girl fell into the river but fortunately we ____________________________ rescue her.
10 I had forgotten to bring my camera so I _________________________ take any photographs.
