Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

 
Lesson  17:  Can,  Cannot,  Can...?  
Lesson  17:  Can,  Cannot,  Can...?  

 
Reading  (Reading)  

   
   
   
I  can  walk.   He  can  write  an  email.  
(I  can  walk.)   (He  can  write  an  email.)  

   
   
   
You  can  dance.   They  can  sleep  well.    
(You  can  dance.)   (They  can  sleep  well.)    

   
   
   
She  can  cook  meals.   This  car  can  run  fast.    
(She  can  cook  meals.)   (This  car  can  run  fast.)  

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Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

   
   
   
I  cannot  walk.   He  cannot  write  an  email.  
(I  cannot  walk.)   (He  cannot  write  an  email.)    

   
   
   
He  canʼ’t  dance.   They  canʼ’t  sleep  well.  
(He  canʼ’t  dance.)   (They  canʼ’t  sleep  well.)    

   
   
   
Can  she  cook  meals?   Can  this  car  run  fast?  
(Can  she  cook  meals?)   (Can  this  car  run  fast?)  

   
   
   
Can  he  teach  English?   Can  she  drink  coffee?  
(Can  he  teach  English?)   (Can  she  drink  coffee?)  

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Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

Grammar  Focus  (Grammar  Focus)  

 
 
v When  you  want  to  express  the  ability  of  doing  something,  you  use  I  /  We  /  You  /  
They  +  can  +  (verb).  When  you  use  “can”,  you  donʼ’t  have  to  change  the  form  of  
the  verb.  “Can”  is  a  helping  verb  or  an  “auxiliary  verb”.  
 
v When  you  want  to  express  the  inability  of  doing  something,  you  use  I  /  We  /  You  
/  They  +  cannot  +  (verb).  You  donʼ’t  have  to  change  the  form  of  the  verb.  You  can  
also   use   “canʼ’t”   instead   of   “cannot”.   This   is   the   negative   form   of   the   “auxiliary  
verb”.  
 
v When  you  want  to  ask  about  the  ability  of  doing  something,  you  use  Can  +  I  /  We  
/  You  /  They  +  (verb)  ?  You  donʼ’t  have  to  change  the  form  of  the  verb.  This  is  an  
“interrogative  auxiliary  verb”  sentence.  Usually  the  last  syllable  of  the  final  word  in  
the  sentence  is  spoken  with  a  rising  intonation.  
 
 
 

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Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

Speaking  (Speaking)  

1)     I  can  enjoy  music  very  much. (I can enjoy music very much.)

2)     She  can  speak  English  fluently. (She can speak English fluently.)  

3)     He  can  wash  dishes  quickly. (He  can  wash  dishes  quickly.)

4)     He  can  watch  TV  today. (He  can  watch  TV  today.)

5)     We  cannot  look  at  the  sky. (We  cannot  look  at  the  sky.)

6)     I  cannot  wait  for  the  president. (I  cannot  wait  for  the  president.)

7)     He  canʼ’t  finish  his  assignment  today.  

(He  canʼ’t  finish  his  assignment  today.)

8)     Those  small  motorcycles  canʼ’t  run  on  highways.  

        (Those  small  motorcycles  canʼ’t  run  on  highways.)  

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Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

Gap  Filling  (Gap  Filling)  

Fill  in  the  blanks  with  the  appropriate  words  in  English.
 
 

1)     I                 Spanish.  (I  can  teach  Spanish.)  

2)     The  girl                 pizza.  (The  girl  can  make  pizza.)  

3)     The  car                 abroad  too.  (The  car  can  run  abroad  too.)  

4)     Mr.  Taylor                 his  work  very  effectively.  

        (Mr.  Taylor  can  do  his  work  very  effectively.)  

5)     She                 beer  yet.  (She  canʼ’t  drink  beer  yet.)  

6)     He                 trucks.  (He  canʼ’t  drive  trucks.)  

7)     The  teacher  can  teach  History,  but  she                 Science.  

        (The  teacher  can  teach  History,  but  she  canʼ’t  teach  Science.)  

8)     The  old  woman                 computers.  (The  old  woman  canʼ’t  use  computers.)  

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Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

Speaking  (Speaking)  

1)     I  can  swim  in  the  sea. (I  can  swim  in  the  sea.)

2)     She  can  go  anywhere  with  a  map. (She  can  go  anywhere  with  a  map.)

3)     We  can  stand  on  the  rock.  (We  can  stand  on  the  rock.)

4)     The  little  boy  can  take  trains  alone.  (The little boy can take trains alone.)

5)     Can  she  become  a  good  actress? (Can  she  become  a  good  actress?)

6)     Can  Ms.  Sarah  finish  her  work  today?  (Can  Ms.  Sarah  finish  her  work  today?)

7)     Can  you  understand  French?  (Can  you  understand  French?)

8)     Can  you  go  to  bed  early  every  day?  (Can  you  go  to  bed  early  every  day?)  

   

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Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

Gap  Filling  (Gap  Filling)  

Fill  in  the  blanks  with  the  appropriate  words  in  English.
 
 
1)     I                 English  for  3  hours  every  day.  
      (I  can  study  English  for  3  hours  every  day.)  

2)     Mr.  Aaron                 spicy  food.  (Mr.  Aaron  can  eat  spicy  food.)  

3)     Mr.  Frank                 French  books.  (Mr.  Frank  can  read  French  books.)  

4)     I                 Italian.  (I  can  understand  Italian.)  

5)     Can  Ms.  Jane                 Chinese?  (Can  Ms.  Jane  speak  Chinese?)  

6)     Can  the  engineer                 to  the  office  by  10  oʼ’clock?  

        (Can  the  engineer  come  to  the  office  by  10  oʼ’clock?)  

7)     Can  the  student                 English  well?  (Can  the  student  write  English  well?)  

8)     Can  Ms.  Mary                 back  home  tonight?  

      (Can  Ms.  Mary  go  back  home  tonight?)    

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Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

Sentence  Changing  (Sentence  Changing)  

 
Change   these   sentences   into   negative   sentences   using   “canʼ’t”   and   into   interrogative  
sentences  using  “Can...?”  
 
 
1)     I  study  Japanese  every  day.  

2)     He  drives  family  cars.  

3)     She  takes  professional  pictures.  

4)     You  use  new  smartphones.  

5)     She  speaks  French.  

6)     He  goes  abroad  alone.  

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Entry  |  Grammar  Lesson  17  

Translating  (Translating)  
 
Translate  these  sentences  in  English.    

1) He  can  speak  English,  Chinese  and  Spanish.  

2) They  can  clean  this  room  in  an  hour.  

3) Can  you  read  French?  

4) The  girl  canʼ’t  study  Mathematics  alone.  

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