Modal verbs · Beginner (A1)
Can and could: ability, permission, requests
Can for ability and permission, could for past ability and polite requests.
The rules
Can / can’t + base verb — ability (I can swim), permission (You can sit here), requests (Can you help me?), possibility (It can be cold in May). No -s, no to: She can drive (not cans, not can to).
Could — past ability (I could read when I was four), polite requests (Could you repeat that?), possibility (It could rain later).
For ability in other tenses, use be able to: I’ll be able to help tomorrow. I’ve never been able to whistle. For a specific past success, use was able to / managed to: The door was stuck, but I managed to open it.
Examples
- Can you speak Chinese? — Yes, a little.
- I couldn’t sleep last night.
- Could I use your bathroom?
- She’ll be able to walk again soon.
Common mistakes
✗ She can to swim.
✓ She can swim.
No to after can.
✗ He cans drive.
✓ He can drive.
Modals don’t take -s.
✗ I will can come.
✓ I will be able to come.
Two modals can’t go together.
Practice
___ you play the piano?
Quiz
1.___ I borrow your pen?
2.After the operation he will ___ walk.
3.“Could” is more polite than “can” in requests.
4.Put the words in the right order.