ملخص الدرس / الثآنية ثانوي/اللغة الإنجليزية/Grammar/ability and possibility using “can”

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Forms of can and could :

positive statement:

I/you/she/he/we /they/it + can /could+ verb

Negative statement:

I/ YOU/ he/she /we /they +can not /couldnot (can't/couldn't).+verb

Question:can/could +I/YOU/WE /they /it+verb?

Negative question:

can't /couldn't +I/you/he /she/we/they /it +verb

can/could you/he +not verb?

the verb that follows can/could is in the infinitive without to.

be able to is a verb idiom .it replaces can in tenses of the futur and may replace it in tenses of the past .

Ability:

she +can/ could/ will be able to/ was able to /has been able to+ swim .

Mary can swim 1000 metres now.

ten years ago, she couldn't swim at all.

last year her boat sankin the english channel, but she was able to swim to the shore.

she will be able to travel around the world by boat soon.

Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to swim since the accident .

permission : can I study in class during the break?yes, you can .

could I stay in class during the break?yes, you ,certainly. more polite .

prohibition:you cannot/can't stay in class during the break .

Requests: can/could/ will/would you help me, please?

possibility: the weather can be very hot in Agiers.

Impossibility: she cannot/can't be poor.she earns a monthely salary of £ 4000.

Note:

When we speak about ability or inability to do something,we generaly use:

can or its negative cannot and can't when we refer to the present .

could or its negatives could not (couldn't) when we refer to the past .

will be able/won't be able to when we refer to the futur .