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Unit 18 Dialogues - Can / Can't
1.Can you play the piano?
Yes, a little. How about you?
No I can't, but I can play the guitar.
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2.
Can you cook?
Not really. I can make toast and pasta, that's all.
Everyone can make toast!
Well, can you cook?
Yes, I can. I can cook delicious fish and chicken.
Wow, that's great.
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3.
So what can you do?
I can draw, and I can paint really well too. I can also speak English and Korean. How about you?
I can play chess and I can write computer programs. I can also speak English and Spanish.
Excellent!
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Key Vocabulary
can |
draw |
Grammar
1. Can
Can is a kind of auixiliary verb called a modal verb. Modal verbs express a particuilar character or mood of a verb.
Ability
Can is often used to show ability. For example: "We can speak English", or "He can sing well."
Here are the Simple Present forms of can for ability.
Statements
I can play the piano. Negatives
I cannot play the piano. |
Questions
Can you play the piano? |
Contractions
Cannot and can't are the same: eg.
- I cannot cook well.
- I can't cook well.
Can't is much more common in spoken English.
Permission
Can is also used to show permission. For example: "You can go home after class". Here are the Simple Present forms of can for permission.
Statements
You can meet her tommorrow. - (You have permission to meet her). She can't come to our house. - (She doesn't have permisson to visit us). |
Questions Can we go to the movies? - (Please give us permission to watc |