The verb can usually means being able and/or achieving and is used to indicate various situations:
- Possibility
- ability/skill
- Permission
- Order
When to use the verb can?
Can is used when we want to express the idea of ability/ability, possibility, permission and order.
He is one of the main modal verbs (modal verbs) of the English language. the modal verb can it has the function of helping the main verb in the sentence.
Examples:
- she she can speak chinese. (She can speak Chinese.) – CAPACITY
- It can happen with anyone. (This can happen to anyone.) - POSSIBILITY
- You can play outside. (You can play outside.) - PERMISSION
- Can I talk to the director? – (May I speak to the director?) – REQUEST
Note that in the first sentence, for example, the use of can has a direct impact on the meaning of the main verb speak, which without the modal means only “to speak” and not “to be able to speak”.
How to use the verb can?
The verb can is always accompanied by the main verb in the infinitive without the I'm.
It can be used to build sentences. affirmatives, negative and interrogatives.
Verb can in the present
Look at the table below and see how to use the verb can in the forms affirmative, negative and interrogative. The main verb used as an example is the verb I'm dancing (to dance).
| AFFIRMATIVE | NEGATIVE | INTERROGATIVE |
|---|---|---|
| I can dance you can dance He/she/it can dance we can dance you can dance they can dance |
I can’t/cannot dance You can't/cannot dance He/she/it can’t/cannot dance We can’t/cannot dance You can't/cannot dance they can't/cannot dance |
Can I dance? Can you dance? Can he/she/it dance? Can we dance? Can you dance? Can they dance? |
Notice that:
- If so, can is used for all people, including he/she/it. the rule of Simple Present which indicates the addition of the –s for third-person inflections is not applied here.
- To form sentences in negative form, we can use can’t or cannot. The meaning of the words is the same.
- When making sentences with can in the interrogative form, just change the position of this modal verb in the sentence: unlike what happens in the affirmative, in the interrogative the verb can must be positioned before the subject.
Verb can in the past
To transform a sentence with can in a sentence in the past, we must use the form could, which is the past of can.
If we establish a comparison between could and the verb tenses of the Portuguese language, could performs so much the function of the past tense perfect as the function of the Future of past tense.
See some illustrative sentences.
Examples:
- She could speak Chinese. (She could speak Chinese.) – CAPACITY
- It could happen with anyone. (This could happen to anyone.) - POSSIBILITY
- Your mom said you could play outside. (Your mother said you could play outside.) - PERMISSION
- Could you help me, please? – (Could you help me, please?) – REQUEST
In the last sentence, the “might” expresses the idea that the sender of the message is being kind when making the request, that is, he is being very polite.
In this case, the function of could is the same as Futuro do Pretérito in Portuguese.
Look at the table below and see how to use the verb could in the forms affirmative, negative and interrogative. The main verb used as an example is the verb I'm dancing (to dance).
| AFFIRMATIVE | NEGATIVE | INTEROGATIVE |
|---|---|---|
| i could dance you could dance he/she/it could dance we could dance you could dance they could dance |
I couldn't/couldnt dance You could not/couldn’t dance He/she/it could not/couldn’t dance We could not/couldn’t dance You could not/couldn’t dance they could not/couldn’t dance |
Could I dance? Could you dance? Could he/she/it dance? Could we dance? Could you dance? Could they dance? |
Sentence formation in the future
The verb can it cannot be used to build sentences in the future, nor does it have its own form for it.
However, there is an expression of meaning similar to can (in the contexts possibility and capacity) and which can be used to create sentences in the future: I'm able to.
The construction of sentences must be done using will or going to (to express the idea of the future) + the expression I'm able to. In the case of phrases that indicate possibility, we can use the modals may and might along with the expression.
Examples:
- We will be able to do the job. (We'll get the job done.) – CAPACITY
- They are going to be able to fix the computer. (They will be able to fix the computer.) - CAPACITY
- She may not be able to eat. (It's possible she won't be able to come.) – POSSIBILITY
- He might be able to finish the project in time. (It is possible that he will finish the project on time.) – POSSIBILITY
Video
Watch the video below and see a summary of using can.
Exercises
Complete the sentences below with can.
1. ________ you _______ English?
a) Can - to speak
b) Can – speak
c) Can - speaking
d) Can - be able to
Correct alternative: b) Can – speak
2. Do not worry! I ____________ this problem.
a) could
b) able to solve
c) will solve
d) can solve
Correct alternative: d) can solve
3. She she ___________ with you. She doesn’t have a passport.
a) can travel
b) cannot travel
c) she is able to travel
d) could travel
Correct alternative: b) cannot travel
4. He ____________ basketball now because he hurt his knee.
a) couldn’t play
b) could play
c) can play
d) can’t play
Correct alternative: d) can’t play
5. ________ we ________here?
a) Can - to park
b) Can - park
c) Can - parking
d) Can - be able to
Correct alternative: b) Can - park
Learn more about English verbs:
- Past Continuous exercises with commented feedback
- verb to have
- Verb to be
- English auxiliary verbs
- Phrasal verbs
- How to use the modal might?
