Can and Can’t: Talking About Abilities

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A135–45 minutes on your own60 minutes with a tutor

Can and Can’t: Talking About Abilities

By the end: I can say what I can do and ask about other people’s abilities.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Start here

Name one skill you have, such as swimming or cooking.

Read each explanation, say your answer aloud, then open the model and try again. You may write your answer if you prefer. Use invented personal details whenever you like.

Useful preparation: Subject pronouns; familiar base verbs. Introduce swim, cook, sing and ride a bike as needed.

Choose a play button when you are ready.

Learn 1

Can + a verb

Use can with the simple form of a verb: can swim, can cook. Can does not change with he or she. Do not add to after can and do not add -s to the next verb.

I can swim.

She can cook.

One skill does not mean every skill

Swimming: yesI can swim.

The speaker has this skill.

Singing: noI can’t sing.

The speaker does not have this skill.

In this recording, can and can’t describe ability. Listen to the complete sentence for each skill.
Learn 2
Lesson scene for She can cook. People and essential props on white.
She can cook.Can is followed by the base verb cook and stays the same with she.

Can’t or cannot

Use can’t or cannot for a skill you do not have. Cannot is one word. The next verb stays the same: can’t swim. Listen for the whole sentence; can is often less strong than the main verb.

I can’t sing.

He cannot ride a bike.

Keep each ability with the correct person

Miacan cook

Cooking is her stated ability.

Her brothercan’t cook

He does not have the cooking skill in this example.

Her brothercan ride a bike

He has this different skill.

The recording does not tell us whether Mia can ride a bike.
Learn 3

Ask about a skill

Put can before the person: Can you swim? Short answers: Yes, I can. No, I can’t. Do not add do or does. The form of can stays the same with every person.

Can you cook?

Yes, I can.

The speaker’s two instrument answers

Piano: noNo, I can’t.

The question was about playing the piano.

Guitar: yesI can play the guitar.

But introduces the contrast with the piano answer.

Guided practice

Try each answer first. Check it, or open a model and its explanation.

Try the form

Compare an answer and explanation

ride

Use the simple verb after can.

Compare an answer and explanation

can

Can does not change with he.

Compare an answer and explanation

cannot

Cannot is one word.

Compare an answer and explanation

Can

Put can before you.

Build or change a sentence

Compare an answer and explanation

I can’t swim. / I cannot swim.

Use can’t or cannot.

Compare an answer and explanation

Can she sing?

Put can before she.

Compare an answer and explanation

Yes, I can.

Change you to I.

Compare an answer and explanation

He can cook.

Do not put to after can.

Listen to a short conversation

Listen. Then open the words and read aloud. Try one part with a partner, or say both parts on your own.

Open the conversation transcript

A: Can you swim?

B: Yes, I can. Can you?

A: No, I can’t. But I can cook.

B: I can cook too.

Listening checks

Read the question, play its recording, then choose an answer. You can open the transcript whenever you need it.

Listening 1

1. Which skill does the speaker have?
Read the transcript

I can swim, but I can’t sing.

Listening 2

2. Who can cook?
Read the transcript

Mia can cook. Her brother can’t cook, but he can ride a bike.

Listening 3

3. What can the speaker play?
Read the transcript

Can you play the piano? No, I can’t. But I can play the guitar.

Lesson scene for Can you cook? People and essential props on white.
Can you cook?Can starts the ability question before the subject.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. Aim for 7 out of 8, then correct anything you missed.

1. She ___ swim.
2. He can ___ dinner.
3. Choose the full negative.
4. Choose the ability question.
5. Can she swim? Answer yes.
6. Can they cook? Answer no.
7. Choose the sentence about a skill.
8. Make She can sing negative.
Answer key with explanations

  1. can Can is the same with she.

  2. cook Use the simple verb after can.

  3. cannot Cannot is written as one word in this use.

  4. Can you sing? Put can before you.

  5. Yes, she can. Repeat can in the short answer.

  6. No, they can’t. Use can’t for the negative answer.

  7. I can ride a bike. Can describes this ability.

  8. She can’t sing. Use can’t before the simple verb.

This quiz checks this lesson, not your overall English level.

Make it yours

Speak first, compare a model, then say a new version. These tasks are ungraded.

Speaking task 1

Say two things you can do and one thing you cannot do. Invent the details if you prefer.

Compare a possible response

I can swim. I can cook. I can’t sing.

Success check: Use can or can’t with the simple verb.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Speaking task 2

Describe a friend’s skills. Say one positive and one negative sentence.

Compare a possible response

She can play the guitar. She can’t play the piano.

Success check: Keep can unchanged with she or he.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Speaking task 3

Ask three ability questions and give short answers. On your own, say both parts.

Compare a possible response

Can you cook? Yes, I can. Can you swim? No, I can’t. Can you sing? Yes, I can.

Success check: Do not add do or does.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Recap

Listen and repeat. I can swim. I can’t sing. Can you cook?

I can say what I can do and ask about other people’s abilities.

  • I can use the main pattern.
  • I can make one sentence of my own.
  • I know one thing to practise again.

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