Can - Abilities
Learn how to use the modal can to talk about abilities.
Special Lesson Activities for This Grammar Point
Talking about Abilities
Point 1: We use can to show abilities.
- I can play tennis.
- She can speak Italian.
- They can build a computer.
- This dictionary can hold one million words.
Point 2: The negative form of can has three spellings: cannot, can not, and can't.
- I can't go tonight.
- She cannot speak German.
- I can not get an internet connection.
- My car cannot go very fast.
Point 3: The adverb "well" is used to show a high ability at doing something. The adverbs "not ... all" shows low ability.
- Can you speak Japanese well?
- I cannot speak it very well. I can speak it just a little.
- Can you cook?
- No, I cannot cook at all.
Point 4: A person can be good at something, or bad at something or even terrible at something.
- Are you good at sports?
- Yes, I am pretty good at sports.
- Are you a good dancer?
- No, I am not good at all. I am terrible at dancing.
Point 5: The adjectives "good" and "great" can express someone has high ability. The adjective "poor" shows low ability.
- She is a good singer.
- He is a great dancer.
- I am not a good student.
- I am a poor cook. (not good at cooking)
Answer the following questions about the interview.
About the Teacher
My name is Todd Beuckens and I am an ESL teacher in Thailand. I created this site to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.