CAN-COULD

CAN
We use can in the present tense :

1. to ask for permission.
2. to say something is possible.
3. to express abilities.

Negative forms:

• cannot
• can't

In the future we must use be able to preceded by the auxiliary form WILL.



COULD
We use could in the past tense :

1. to express abilities in the past.
2. to say something was possible.
3. to ask for permission in a more educated way.

Negative form:
    could + not = COULDN'T

EXERCISES

1.-Write ten things you could/couldn't do when you were six years old

1. ....................................................................(swim)
2. ....................................................................(read)
3. ....................................................................(ride)
4. ....................................................................(speak English)
5. ....................................................................(jump 2 metres)
6. ....................................................................(write e-mails)
7. ....................................................................(chat on the internet)
8. ....................................................................(watch tv )
9. ....................................................................(go to a disco)
10. ....................................................................(play computer games)

2.- Complete the sentences with can-can't-could-couldn't:

1. We.................play tennis now, we had tennis lessons last year.
2. .......................Paul speak English last month?
3. She..................stop the car when she saw the big lorry.
4. Mary .........................read English newspapers three years ago.
5. They learnt to read French when he was a child so he ...................read too now.