The use of CAN --------------------- We use can to talk about possibility. - Can you do that? - I cant manage to do that. - You can leave your car in that parking space. - You cannot smoke in here. Notice that there are two negative forms: cant and cannot. These mean exactly the same thing. When we are speaking, we usually say cant. We use can to talk about ability. -I can speak French. -I cant drive. We use can to ask for and give permission. (We also use may for this but is more formal and much less common.) - Can I speak to you or are you too busy? - You can use my phone. - You cant come in. We use can in offers, requests and instructions. - Can I help? - Can you give me a hand? - When you finish that, you can take out the garbage. We use can with see hear feel smell taste to talk about something which is happening now . (Where you would use the present continuous with most other verbs.) - I can smell something burning. - Can you hear that noise? - I cant see anything. We can use cant for deduction. The opposite of cant in this context is must. - You cant be hungry. Youve just eaten. - You must be hungry. You havent eaten anything all day. - He was in London one hour ago when I spoke to him. He cant be here yet ----------- Exercises at : englishgrammarsecrets/can/exercise1.html englishgrammarsecrets/can/exercise2.html englishgrammarsecrets/can/exercise3.html englishgrammarsecrets/can/exercise4.html englishgrammarsecrets/can/exercise5.html englishgrammarsecrets/can/exercise6.html.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 09:55:06 +0000
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