CAN & CAN'T
Use CAN and CAN'T to talk about abilities - what you are able to do and what you are not able to do.
โ CAN = I am able to do this
/kรฆn/
I can swim.
I can speak French.
I can play the guitar.
I can speak French.
I can play the guitar.
โ CAN'T = I am NOT able to do this
/kษหnt/ or /kรฆnt/
I can't swim.
I can't speak Spanish.
I can't play the piano.
I can't speak Spanish.
I can't play the piano.
Grammar Rules
โ
I/You/He/She/We/They + CAN + verb
โ I/You/He/She/We/They + CAN'T + verb
Important:
โข CAN never changes! (not "cans" or "canning")
โข After CAN, use the base verb (swim, speak, play)
โข CAN'T = cannot (negative form)
โข CAN never changes! (not "cans" or "canning")
โข After CAN, use the base verb (swim, speak, play)
โข CAN'T = cannot (negative form)
Question Form
CAN + you + verb?
Examples:
โข "Can you swim?" โ "Yes, I can!" / "No, I can't."
โข "Can you speak English?" โ "Yes, I can!"
โข "Can you cook?" โ "No, I can't, but I want to learn!"
โข "Can you swim?" โ "Yes, I can!" / "No, I can't."
โข "Can you speak English?" โ "Yes, I can!"
โข "Can you cook?" โ "No, I can't, but I want to learn!"
โ I CAN
I am good at this!
I know how to do this!
โ I CAN'T
I don't know how to do this.
I am not able to do this.
๐ I'M LEARNING
I can't do this YET,
but I'm learning!
Common Abilities
Learn different abilities and skills you can talk about.
SWIM
I can swim very well! ๐โโ๏ธ
I can't swim. ๐ซ
I can't swim. ๐ซ
COOK
I can cook Italian food! ๐
I can't cook. ๐ซ
I can't cook. ๐ซ
RIDE A BIKE
I can ride a bike! ๐ดโโ๏ธ
I can't ride a bike. ๐ซ
I can't ride a bike. ๐ซ
DRIVE A CAR
I can drive a car! ๐
I can't drive a car. (I'm too young!) ๐ซ
I can't drive a car. (I'm too young!) ๐ซ
SPEAK LANGUAGES
I can speak French and English! ๐ซ๐ท๐ฌ๐ง
I can't speak Spanish. ๐ซ
I can't speak Spanish. ๐ซ
PLAY AN INSTRUMENT
I can play the guitar! ๐ธ
I can't play the piano. ๐ซ
I can't play the piano. ๐ซ
DRAW / PAINT
I can draw very well! ๐จ
I can't paint. ๐ซ
I can't paint. ๐ซ
DANCE
I can dance! ๐
I can't dance. ๐ซ
I can't dance. ๐ซ
Build Sentences
Step 1: Choose an ability
Step 2: Can you do it or can't you do it?
Make TRUE sentences about YOU!
Step 2: Can you do it or can't you do it?
Make TRUE sentences about YOU!
Choose an Ability:
๐โโ๏ธ
Swim
๐ฉโ๐ณ
Cook
๐ดโโ๏ธ
Ride a Bike
๐
Drive a Car
๐ช๐ธ
Speak Spanish
๐ธ
Play Guitar
๐จ
Draw
๐
Dance
๐ค
Sing
Can You Do It?
Choose an ability and answer above
Answer Questions
Question 1
Can you swim? ๐โโ๏ธ
Question 2
Can you cook? ๐ฉโ๐ณ
Question 3
Can you ride a bike? ๐ดโโ๏ธ
Question 4
Can you speak English? ๐ฌ๐ง
Question 5
Can you play a musical instrument? ๐ธ
Speaking Practice
Discussion 1
What are 3 things you CAN do?
Tell your teacher 3 abilities or skills you have!
Example: "I can swim, I can speak French, and I can play video games!"
Example: "I can swim, I can speak French, and I can play video games!"
Discussion 2
What are 3 things you CAN'T do?
Tell your teacher 3 things you can't do.
Example: "I can't drive a car, I can't cook, and I can't speak Spanish."
Example: "I can't drive a car, I can't cook, and I can't speak Spanish."
Discussion 3
What CAN'T you do now, but you WANT to learn?
Think about skills you want to have in the future!
Example: "I can't cook now, but I want to learn!"
Example: "I can't cook now, but I want to learn!"
Discussion 4
What can you do VERY WELL?
Talk about your best skills!
Example: "I can speak French very well!"
Or: "I can play video games very well!"
Example: "I can speak French very well!"
Or: "I can play video games very well!"
Combining with Past Lessons!
Add MORE information to your sentences:
โข How often: "I can swim, and I usually go swimming on weekends."
โข Who with: "I can cook, and I sometimes cook with my family."
โข When: "I can play guitar, and I usually practice in the evening."
โข Likes: "I can draw, and I love drawing!"
โข How often: "I can swim, and I usually go swimming on weekends."
โข Who with: "I can cook, and I sometimes cook with my family."
โข When: "I can play guitar, and I usually practice in the evening."
โข Likes: "I can draw, and I love drawing!"
Challenge: Tell your teacher about 5 different abilities using CAN or CAN'T, and add extra information about when, how often, and who with!
About Me - Complete Profile
Tell your teacher about yourself using EVERYTHING you've learned!
Create Your Complete Profile!
Talk about yourself using ALL the structures:
Include:
โ What you LIKE and DON'T LIKE (Lesson 1)
โ WHEN you do activities (Lesson 2)
โ HOW OFTEN you do them (Lesson 3)
โ WHO you do them with (Lesson 4)
โ Your daily ROUTINE (Lesson 5)
โ What you CAN and CAN'T do (Lesson 6)
โ What you LIKE and DON'T LIKE (Lesson 1)
โ WHEN you do activities (Lesson 2)
โ HOW OFTEN you do them (Lesson 3)
โ WHO you do them with (Lesson 4)
โ Your daily ROUTINE (Lesson 5)
โ What you CAN and CAN'T do (Lesson 6)
Example Complete Description:
"Hi! My name is Sarah. I'm 14 years old and I live in France.
I love playing video games! I usually play in the evening with my friends. I also like listening to music. I always listen to music when I do homework.
My daily routine: I wake up at 7:00 AM and I eat breakfast at 7:30 AM with my family. I go to school at 8:00 AM. After school, I usually do homework at 4:00 PM. I eat dinner with my family at 7:00 PM, and I go to bed at 10:00 PM.
I can speak French and English! I can also swim very well. I can't cook yet, but I want to learn! I can't drive a car because I'm too young!
I don't like waking up early, but I have to go to school! ๐"
I love playing video games! I usually play in the evening with my friends. I also like listening to music. I always listen to music when I do homework.
My daily routine: I wake up at 7:00 AM and I eat breakfast at 7:30 AM with my family. I go to school at 8:00 AM. After school, I usually do homework at 4:00 PM. I eat dinner with my family at 7:00 PM, and I go to bed at 10:00 PM.
I can speak French and English! I can also swim very well. I can't cook yet, but I want to learn! I can't drive a car because I'm too young!
I don't like waking up early, but I have to go to school! ๐"
Now It's YOUR Turn!
Tell your teacher about yourself!
Use the example above as a guide, but talk about YOUR life!
Include everything you've learned in all 6 lessons!
Include everything you've learned in all 6 lessons!
Bonus Questions:
1. What new skill do you want to learn this year?
Example: "I want to learn how to cook Italian food!"
2. Who in your family can do something you can't do?
Example: "My mom can cook very well, but I can't!"
3. What's something you can do now that you couldn't do when you were younger?
Example: "I can speak English now! When I was 10, I couldn't speak English."
๐ Congratulations! ๐
You've completed 6 English lessons!
You can now:
โ Talk about likes and dislikes
โ Say when you do things
โ Say how often you do things
โ Say who you do things with
โ Describe your daily routine
โ Talk about your abilities!
Your English is getting really good! Keep practicing! ๐ชโญ