A. Can + base form (can do / can / can come, etc.)
| Positive and negative | ||
| I/we/you/they He/she/it | Can Can’t (cannot) | Do play come see |
| Question | ||
| can | I/we/you/they He/she/it | Do . . . ? play . . . ? come . . . ? see . . . ? |
B. I can do something = I know how to do it or it is possible for me to do it :
- I can play piano. My brother can play the piano too.
- Ann can speak Portugese, but she can’t speak Spanish
- “Can you swim?” “Yes, but not very well.”
- “Can you change a ten dollar bill?” “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
- Mary and Andy can’t come to the party next week.
C. In the past (yesterday / last week, etc.) :
| Can (do) --------> Could (do) Can’t(do)--------> Couldn’t (do) |
- When I was young, I could run very fast
- Before she came ro Canada, she could’t speak English. Now she can speak English very well.
- I was tired last night, but I couldn’t sleep.
- Mary and Andy couldn’t come to the party last week.
We use Can you . . . ? or Could you . . . ? when ask people to do things:
- “Can you (or Could) you open the door, pease?” “Sure.”
- Can (or Could) you tell me the time, please?
We use Can I . . . ? when ask if it is Okay to do something:
- (in a restauran) “Can I take your order?” “Yes, we’re ready.”
- (on the phone) Hello. Can I speak to Don, please?
Yu can also say May I . . . ?
Yu can also say May I . . . ?
We use Can I have . . . ? to ask for something :
- (in a store) Can I Have these postcards, please?
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