This document provides a lesson on using can and can't to express ability and inability in English. It begins with examples of sentences using can and can't, then defines their affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms. More examples are given of using can and can't with different subjects. The uses of can for possibility, ability, and permission are explained. Exercises are provided for students to practice writing sentences about their own abilities and reordering sentences with can and can't.

1. 5
Exercises
Mrs. Anabel Montes - English teacher

2. What can you do?
He can ride a
bike
He can
swim

3. What can you do?
He can
drive
He can
play
baseball

4. What can you do?
He can
ski
She can’t
ski

5. What can you do?
He can play the
piano
He can’t play the
piano

6. What can you do?
He can play
basketball.
He can’t
play
basketball.

7. What can you do?
They can paint

8. What can you do?
They can’t paint

9. Can / Can’t
•Can
is an auxiliary modal verb.
•Can is the same for all subjects.
•E.g.
•- He can see my neighbor in the garden.
•- They can play golf.
•- She can play golf.
•- I can play golf

10. Affirmative Form :
Personal + Can + Verb + Complement
Pronoun

11. Affirmative Form :
I
You
He
She
It
We
They
Can
swim

12. Negative Form :
Personal + Can’t + Verb +Complement
Pronoun
To form a negative sentences we
use can + not = can not and in
contraction we use can’t.

13. Negative Form :
I
You
He
She
Swim
It
We
They
Can’t

14. Interrogative Form :
Can + Personal + Verb +Complement?
Pronoun

15. Short answers :
I
You
He
Yes,
She
It
We
They
Can
+

16. Short answers:
I
You
He
No ,
She
It
We
They
Can’t
-

17. Can / Can’t
*We
use 'can' to talk about 'possibility'.
Can you do that? You can’t smoke here.
*We use 'can' to talk about ‘ability'.
I can speak French / I can speak
Italian
I can drive / I to dance and
*We use 'can'canask for balletgive
permission.
Can I go to the bathroom? / Yes, you can.
You can use my phone./ You can’t use my
phone 'can‘ in offers and request
*We use
Can you give me a hand? / Can you help
me?

18. Can / Can’t
E.G. :
•
Penelope Cruz can speak Spanish and
English.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Penelope Cruz can’t speak Japanese.
The elephants can’t jump.
The children can’t smile when they are babies.
The horses can’t fly.
Patricia can paint.
Luis can play the drum.
Miss Ingrid can’t play guitar.

19. Exercises
1.-Write sentences about what
you can or can’t do. Use these
verbs : drive, fly,
play(piano/football/trumpet),
speak (French /Italian/Quechua),
paint, ride, sing, run a mile,
jump.

20.  2.a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
Order these sentences :
drive/can’t/Fiorella
guitar/can/Manuel/the/play
Liset/sing/can’t
draw/José/can’t
the/cat/fly/can/?
dog/the/jump/can’t
swim/mouse/the/can/?
horse/the/can/speak/?