1. Answer key:
Name: ---------------------------------
Date: ----------------------------------
“Can” is used to express ability in the present
or future.
 I can speak English fluently.
“Can” has the same form with singular & plural.
 I/you/he/she/it/we/they can eat.
The negative of “can” is cannot or can’t.
 She cannot/can’t swim.
“Could” is used to express ability in the past.
 Jack could swim when he was a child.
“Could” takes the same form with singular &
plural.
 I/you/he/she/it/we/they could swim.
The negative form of “could” is could not.
 They could not (couldn’t) wait for him.
A. Fill in the blanks with can or can’t.
1. Birds ……………………… fly.
2. Parrots ……………………… sing.
3. Dogs ……………………… talk.
4. An adult ……………………… drive a car.
5. An infant ……………………… walk.
6. Rocks ……………………… float on water.
7. Deaf people ……………………… hear.
8. Doctors ……………………… cure people.
9. Pilots ……………………… fly planes.
10. A blind person ……………………… see.
B. Fill in the blanks with can or could.
1. Jim can dive now but he ………………………
not swim when he was a child.
2. I could act foolishly was I was younger
but now I ……………………… not do this.
3. In the past, people ……………………… not
talk with each other by cell phones.
4. Today, students ……………………… use the
internet to look for information.
5. Employees ……………………… go to work or
they ……………………… work from home.
Using Can in Questions
To make a question, we begin with “Can”,
then we put the personal pronoun (I, you,
he, they, etc…) and then the main verb
(eat, play, run, etc..)
 Can you read?
Yes, I can. / No, I can’t.
 Can she swim?
Yes, she can. / No, she can’t.
 Can they sing?
Yes, they ca. / No, they can’t.
C. Ask and answer questions about what
computers can do.
1. Laugh
Can computers laugh?
No, they can’t.
2. Play FreeCell
……………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………
3. Play music
……………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………
4. Fall in love
……………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………
5. Check spelling
……………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………
6. Think
……………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………
D. Talk about your own abilities.
speak French – dive – play guitar – sing - act
1. I can/can’t speak French fluently.
2. ……………………………………………………………………
3. ……………………………………………………………………
4. ……………………………………………………………………
5. ……………………………………………………………………

2. A. Fill in the blanks with can or can’t.
1. Parrots can’t sing.
2. An adult can drive a car.
3. Rocks can’t float on water.
4. Doctors can cure people.
5. A blind person can’t see.
6. Birds can fly.
7. Dogs can’t talk.
8. An infant can’t walk.
9. Deaf people can’t hear.
10. Pilots can fly planes.
B. Fill in the blanks with can or could.
1. Jim can dive now but he could
not swim when he was a child.
2. I could act foolishly was I was younger
but now I can not do this.
3. In the past, people could not talk with
each other by cell phones.
4. Today, students can use the internet
to look for information.
5. Employees can go to work or they can
work from home.
C. Ask and answer questions about what
computers can do.
1. Laugh
Can computers laugh?
No, they can’t.
2. Play FreeCell
Can computers play FreeCell?
Yes, they can.
3. Play music
Can computers play music?
Yes, they can.
4. Fall in love
Can computers fall in love?
No, they can’t.
5. Check spelling
Can computers check spelling?
Yes, they can.
6. Translate
Can computers think?
No, they can’t.