All About Series: MODALS - Auxiliary
Verb (Can and Could)
Examples: Can and Could:
He can drive the car.
can + infinitive (can do
/can play /can come etc.)
I
/ We/ You /They
He / She / It
|
Can
Cannot
(Can’t)
|
do
drive
see
come,
play etc.
|
Question
Form
|
||
Can
|
I
/ We/ You /They
He / She / It
|
Do?
Drive?
See?
Come
?, Play? etc.
|
I can
do something = I know how to do it or it is possible for me to do it.
·
‘Can
you sing?’ ‘Yes, but I’m not a very good singer.
·
‘Can
you change the Dollar bill?” I’m sorry I can’t.
·
Andrew can
speak German but he can’t
speak French.
·
I can
play the guitar. My brother can play
the piano.
·
I’m having a party next week but
Ann and Sally can’t come.
For the
past (yesterday / last week etc. ).
We use could / couldn’t.
·
Before Anna came to France, she couldn’t understand much French. Now
she can understand everything.
·
I was hungry last night but I couldn’t eat.
·
When I was young, I could run very fast.
·
I had a party last week but Susan and Katrina
couldn’t come.
Can you
…? Could You … ? Can I … ? Could I …?
When
we ask people to do things: We use Can
you …? Or Could You …?
·
Can you open the door, please? Or Could you
open the door, please?
·
Can you wait a moment, please? Or Could you
wait…?
We
use can I have …? Or Could I have …? to
ask for something:
(In
a shop) Can I have these postcards, please? Or could I have …?
Can I … ? or Could I … ? = is it OK to do
something?:
Kathy,
can I borrow your umbrella? Or Tom, could I borrow your umbrella?
(on
the phone) Hello, can I speak to Dr. Sam, Please? Or … could I speak …?
