EXPRESSING ABILITY

CONTENTS
12-1 Using can
12-2 Pronunciation of can and can’t
12-3 Using can: questions
12-4 Using know how to
12-5 Using could: past of can
12-6 Using be able to
12-7 Using very and too + adjective
12-8 Using two, too, and to
12-9 More about prepositions: at and in for place

Tarifa is smart.
She can speak five languages.
USING CAN

Tarifa is smart.
She can speak five languages.
(b) I have some money.
I can buy a present for my mom.
(c) You are smart. You can fix cars.
can
ability
possibility
USING CAN

(d) CORRECT: Thelma can ride a bike.
simple form
of main verb
can
USING CAN

(d) CORRECT: Thelma can ride a bike.
(e) INCORRECT: Thelma can to ride a bike.
infinitive
with to
can
USING CAN

(d) CORRECT: Thelma can ride a bike.
(e) INCORRECT: Thelma can to ride a bike.
(f) INCORRECT: Thelma can rides a bike.
main verb – final -s
can
USING CAN

NEGATIVE:
can + not = can not or cannot
CONTRACTION:
can + not = can’t
(g) Rajiv can not snowboard.
Rajiv cannot snowboard.
Rajiv can’t snowboard.
USING CAN

A dog ___ swim.
can
Let’s Practice
can
can’t

can’t
A kitten ____ read.
can
can’t
Let’s Practice

A butterfly ____ dance.
can’t
can
can’t
Let’s Practice

Jonas can come to school with us.
PRONUNCIATION OF CAN AND CAN’T

(a) Jonas can come to school with us.
(b) Liv can’t come to school with us.
Can – pronounced “kun” /kən/
Can’t – pronounced as “ant” /kæ
nt/
PRONUNCIATION OF CAN AND CAN’T

Fish ____ swim.
Fish ____ fly.
can
can’t
can
can’t
Let’s Practice

Lions ___ roar.
Giraffes ____ roar.
can’t
can
can
can’t
Let’s Practice

Alia can speak Farsi.
Can you speak Farsi?
USING CAN: QUESTIONS

(a) Can you speak Farsi?
CAN + SUBJECT + MAIN
VERB Yes, I can.
No, I can’t.
(b) Can Ida drive?
Yes, she can.
No, she can’t.
USING CAN: QUESTIONS

(c) Where can I walk my dog?
QUESTION + CAN + SUBJECT + MAIN
WORD VERB
In the park.
(d) When can we bake cookies?
On Saturday.
USING CAN: QUESTIONS

`
Inga can jump rope.
Yes, she can
Can Inga
jump rope
_________________?
__________.
Let’s Practice

Can Ari play the violin
Ari can’t play the violin.
No, he can’t
_________________?
__________.
Let’s Practice

I can bake a cake.
Can you bake a cake
Yes, I can
_____________________?
_________.
Let’s Practice

They know how to dance very well.
USING KNOW HOW TO

(a) They can dance.
(b) They know how to dance.
(c) Can you dance?
(d) Do you know how to dance?
know how to expresses ability
same
meaning
same
meaning
USING KNOW HOW TO

Yes, I do
.
Do you know how to knit
know how to knit
.
___________________?
Let’s Practice

Yes,
I do
.
Do you know how to play golf
play golf
.
__________________________?
Let’s Practice

Do you know how to get to the library
get to the library
No,
I don’t.
.
________________________________?
Let’s Practice

I was in Maine last summer.
I could eat lobster every day.
USING COULD: PAST OF CAN

(a) I am in Maine.
I can eat lobster every day.
(b) I was in Maine last year.
I could eat lobster every day when
I was there.
could = past form of can
USING COULD: PAST OF CAN

(c) I can’t watch TV this afternoon.
I have to do my laundry.
(d) I could not watch TV last Friday.
I had to do my laundry.
I couldn’t watch TV last Friday.
NEGATIVE
could + not = couldn’t
USING COULD: PAST OF CAN

(e) Could you get to class before 9:00?
QUESTION
could + subject + main verb
USING COULD: PAST OF CAN

Last year we went to Thailand.
We _______ go swimming every day
could
could couldn’t
Let’s Practice

I _______ fix the heater because I didn’t have the right tools.
couldn’t
could
couldn’t
Let’s Practice

I _______ use the blue blanket because it
was dirty.
couldn’t
could couldn’t
Let’s Practice

I am able to read very fast.
USING BE ABLE TO

(a) I am able to read very fast.
(b) I can read very fast.
PRESENT
same
meaning
USING BE ABLE TO

FUTURE
(c) You will be able to go
home Monday.
(d) You can go home Monday.
same
meaning
USING BE ABLE TO

(e) I wasn’t able to watch a
movie last Saturday.
(f) I couldn’t watch a movie
last Saturday.
PAST
same
meaning
USING BE ABLE TO

Jen is deaf.
She ________ use sign language.
Jen is deaf.
She can use sign language.
be able to
is able to
Let’s Practice

He ___________ finish his work.
He couldn’t finish his work.
be able to not
wasn’t able to
Let’s Practice

Goldfish ___________ sing.
Goldfish can’t sing.
be able to
not
aren’t able to
Let’s Practice

The homework is very long,
but you can do it.
USING VERY AND TOO + ADJECTIVE

(a) The paper is very long, but you can do it.
(b) The paper is too long. You can’t do it.
(c) The line is very long, but I can wait.
(d) The line is too long. I can’t wait.
very long = difficult but possible
too long = impossible
very
≠
too
USING VERY AND TOO + ADJECTIVE

(e) The line is too long.
NEGATIVE RESULT:
I can’t wait.
USING VERY AND TOO + ADJECTIVE

(f) These pants are too tight.
NEGATIVE RESULT:
I can’t wear them.
USING VERY AND TOO + ADJECTIVE

The mountain is ____ high, but he can climb it.
too very
That mountain is ___ high. He can’t climb it.
too
very
Let’s Practice

The race is ____ long, but he can finish it.
The race is ___ long. He can’t finish it.
too
very
too
very
Let’s Practice

The homework is ____ difficult, but she ____ do it.
The homework is ___ difficult. She ____ do it.
too
too
very
very
can’t
can
can’t
can
Let’s Practice

They have two pets.
USING TWO, TOO, AND TO

(a) They have two pets.
TWO
TWO
TOO
TO
same
pronunciation
TWO = a number
USING TWO, TOO, AND TO

(a) They have two pets.
(b) Ralph is too short to reach that.
too short = impossible to reach
because of height
(c) Ada likes music. I like it too.
too = also
TWO
TOO
USING TWO, TOO, AND TO

(a) They have two pets.
(b) Ralph is too short to reach that.
(c) Ada likes music. I like it too.
(d) I ran to school.
(e) They want to go to Africa.
TWO
TOO
TO
to = part of an infinitive
to = a preposition
USING TWO, TOO, AND TO

They are walking __ school.
to
two
too
to
Let’s Practice

We have ___ teenagers.
Kristie is going ___ college.
Ben is going ___ college ___.
two
to
too
to
two
too
to
Let’s Practice

My grandmother is ____ old
____ ski. My ____ aunts will
stay home with her.
too
to
two
two
too
to
Let’s Practice

Rhea is at work.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(a) Rhea is at work.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(a) Rhea is at work.
Anna is at home.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(a) Rhea is at work.
Anna is at home.
Yumi is at school.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

at +
home
work
school
(a) Rhea is at work.
Anna is at home.
Yumi is at school.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(b) Ruth is in bed.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(b) Ruth is in bed.
Jim is in class.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(b) Ruth is in bed.
Jim is in class.
Ralph is in jail.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(b) Ruth is in bed.
Jim is in class.
Ralph is in jail.
in +
bed
class
jail/prison
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(c) Ms. Kim is in the hospital.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

American English = in the hospital
British English = in hospital
(c) Ms. Kim is in the hospital.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(d) Roger is in the kitchen.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

the kitchen
the classroom
the hall
my bedroom
in +
(d) Roger is in the kitchen.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(e) Nathan is in Athens.
in +
cities
states/provinces
countries
continents
in Athens
in Vermont
in Spain
in Europe
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

used with
usually
at is
(f) A: Where’s Inga?
B: She isn’t here. She’s at the library.
the post office
the bank
the bookstore
the park
the theater
the
restaurant
the football
stadium
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

(g) Len is at the store.
Bea is in the store.
MORE ABOUT PREPOSITIONS: AT AND IN FOR PLACE

No, he’s __ the store.
Is Len here?
at
at
in
Let’s Practice

She’s __ the garage.
Where’s Cindy?
in
at
in
Let’s Practice