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Can is used. Using ‘Can’ in understandable language for dummies. The modal verb can. Forms

The modal verb can. If you want to say that you are something you can or know how, you need to use the verb "can".

"Can" is translated "to be able, to be able." It has only one form of "Can" in the present tense, which makes it much easier to use. I usually start my acquaintance with verbs with him, because. children very quickly understand how to use it, and it is convenient to explain all the rules for constructing a sentence in English.

So, the scheme is very simple:

subject + CAN + verb. We do not add anything to the semantic verb, it is “naked”, that is, in front of it is a particle to not set. We can say the opposite: we remove the particle from the verb to

Examples : I can jump, he can ride a bike, we can dance well, Kate can read, we can do our homework ouselves etc.

Statement	Question	Negation	Reduction	Short answer
	Can I?	I cannot	I can't	Yes, I can\ No, I can't
	Can you?	You cannot	You can't	Yes, you can\No you can't
	Can he?	He cannot	He can't	Yes, he can\No, he can't
	Can she?	She cannot	She can't	Yes, she can\No, she can't
	Can it?	It cannot	It can't	Yes, it can\ No, it can't

	Can we?	We cannot	We can't	Yes, we can\ No, we can't
You can	Can you?	You cannot	You can't	Yes, you can\ No, you can't
	Can they?	They cannot	They can't	Yes, they can\ No, they can't

CAN'T in the British version it reads as the Americans say:

Modal verb can / I remember my teacher in the courses stubbornly demanded to pronounce . I usually introduce this variant to children, explaining the differences, but do not require British pronunciation, because it is unpopular and harder to pronounce.

note that in Russian, to ask a question, they use interrogative intonation, and in writing they indicate a question mark at the end. You know how to dance. Can you dance? And in English it depends on the grammatical construction of the sentence, that is, on the position of the auxiliary or modal verb. In a statement - after the subject, in a question - before the subject: you can dance. Can you dance?

Features of the answer to the general question:

If you are asked, you answer "yes" or "no" by changing the personal pronoun:

Can you buy that bag for me? Can you buy me this bag?

yes, I can\No, I can't - Yes.\No.

After a short answer, you can continue with a full sentence:

Can you buy that bag for me?

yes, I can. I buy shall it tomorrow. (What color of the bag do you want?)

Various examples:

Can you understand me? - Can you understand me? — Yes, I can. - Yes.

Can you take your son go fishing with you? Can you take your son fishing with you?

I can't swim at all. - I can't swim at all.

Separation, alternative and special questions.

1. A disjunctive question begins with a statement, then a comma and an interrogative part, consisting of a modal verb and a pronoun, are put. If the first part is an affirmation, then the second is a negation and vice versa.

You can't swim, can you? - You can't swim, can you?

My sister can help you, can't she? “My sister can help you, can't she?

We can spend holidays in Greece, can't we? We can spend our holidays in Greece, can't we?

2. An alternative question is built as a general question (see table), with the addition of a union or and an alternative word.

Can you go shopping with me or not? - You can go shopping with me or No?

Can you sing or dance? - Can you sing or dance?

3. A special question is built using special words WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW MANY, HOW MUCH and others. CAN is placed after the question word. It is followed by the subject.

Question. sl. + CAN+ (who, what) + verb+ rest +?

What can you buy there? What can you buy there? How can I help you? - How can I help you? Where can we go? - Where can we go? How much money can you borrow me? How much (money) can you borrow me?

Gogo's I can... I can't

In contact with

Today we will begin to study the category of modality. It includes verbs that are not actions, but allow you to designate shades of the main events. With their help, the desire, possibility, prohibition or permission of the specified action is expressed. In today's lesson, we will analyze what and when the modal verb can in English is intended to denote. This is the most ambiguous and frequently spoken representative of this group. Consider its construction, application and other grammatical nuances.

In general, using this verb is not difficult, so even textbooks for kids contain the principle of forming phrases with can. Of course, only the simplest designs are selected for children, but complicated combinations are not difficult for older people.

present tense

In an affirmative sentence, the compound predicate has the form " can+ infinitive". It is important to note that in this case infinitives are always used without to.

Nick can run fastNick can run fast.
my sister can cook a cakeMysistercanCookcake.

The conjugation of the verb can in the present tense is the same for all persons of nouns and pronouns: it never changes its form and does not add any endings. By meaning, this form of the verb can express the events of the present or future (nearest).

My relatives can meet me at the railway station tomorrowMorelativeswill be abletomorrowmeetmeon thestation.
She can call themtodayShe can call them today.

Modal verbs do not require the participation of auxiliary words, since in fact they themselves are. Therefore, they create interrogative and negative contexts on their own.

In questions, the compound predicate is broken, and can moves to the beginning of the sentence. If there are special interrogative words in the phrase, then they always precede the modal word.

Can you bring thebook? – Can you bring this book?
When can they arrive to us? - When can they come to us?

To negate the main verb, can attaches the particle not, forming the combination cannot or abbreviated can't. Pay attention to the continuous spelling of the official form.

Mywife cannot drive acarMy wife can't drive a car.
I can 't cook lambchopsI can't cook lamb chops.

Sometimes the verb can is used in English to construct interrogative-negative phrases. They are used in colloquial speech, as they carry an emotional connotation.

Can 't yourchild warm up foodinthemicrowave? Can't your child heat up food in the microwave?
Can 't they send methefax? Can't they send me a fax?

Past tense

Officially, grammar distinguishes three forms for a given modal word.

We will keep silent about the subjunctive mood for now, since this is a very complex grammatical complex, but we will consider the constructions of the past.

The past is characterized by all the same forms of structures as in the present, only can is transformed into could. The modal word is still the same for all persons and numbers.

I could play basketballverywellwhenIwasateenager– I could play basketball very well when I was a teenager.
could he read whenhewasfive? Did he know how to read when he was 5 years old?
my friend could not (couldn't) pass the exam - Myfriendnotcouldpassexam.
couldn't 't she call me? Couldn't she have called me?

Often, in the past tense, instead of could, the verb manage is used (the form of pr. is managed). Its meaning is "succeeded, succeeded." Please note that in this case the infinitive will be used already with the particle to.

The exam was difficult but I managed to pass it-Examwasdifficult,butto mesucceededpasshis.
She trained hard and she managed to break the world record-She islottrainedandatherhappenedbeatworldrecord.

Note that sometimes there is the use of can and could in combination with the perfect infinitive, i.e. in combination can/could+ have+ participle II. We will talk more about this a little later, when we discuss use cases.

Future tense

The modal verb can in English cannot officially be used in the future tense, i.e. you cannot add will to it. Yes, with its help you can designate shades of the future, as in Present Simple, but nothing more.

We can use can to refer to features we already have, but we plan to take advantage of in the future. If, we are talking about what we will only master or receive, then it is necessary to replace can with its equivalent to be able to. This expression is translated as "to be able to do something" and can be used in all tense forms: past, presentand future.

Myfather is able to solve anyproblemMy father is able to solve any problem.
Jack was able to dial thenumberandcallthepoliceJack was able to dial a number and call the police.

However, most often this combination is used to express precisely future events.

We will be able to move to Spain in three yearsWewe canrun overinSpainthrough 3 of the year.
Nextyear I will be able to speak Englishfluently– Next year I will be able to speak English fluently. .

The turnover to be able to can also be used to express a question or a negative.

Will you be able to pay forsecond vocational education? – Will you be able to pay for a second vocational education?
They will not (won't) be able to buy a new model of this carThey arewillnotinablebuynewmodelthiscars.

We have analyzed how the modal verbs can, could and to be able to are used in sentences of various types. Now let's talk about their semantic meaning.

The verb can in English - when and why is it used?

In the preface to the material, we already noted that this verb is polysemantic. The table below will help us to consider in detail all the situations of its use. In it, we give examples of structures and their translation.

can application
Situation	Examples	Translation
1. Indication of skills, abilities, abilities. Expression of the possibility of performing actions related to mental abilities or physical achievements. Can indicates generalized, regular, or periodic actions. If it is clear from the context of the sentence that this is a single case, then it is better to replace can with a predicate with be able to.	my sister can dance like a professional.	My sister can dance like a pro.
	Is she able to dance in the concert today?	Can she dance in tonight's concert?
	We cannot bake a banana pie.	We don't know how to bake a banana pie.
	They will be able to move to London soon.	They will soon be able to move to London.
	my son could not swim when he was seven.	My son couldn't swim when he was 7 years old.
	Can you play a guitar?	Can you play the guitar?
	She was not able to run at that moment.	At that moment, she was unable to run.
	I can play chess well. But last time I didn't manage to win.	I am good at playing chess. But last time I didn't manage to win.
2. Designation of permission and prohibition. In this category modal verbs can, may and must have similar meanings . But, specifically can has a generalized specificity, is more colloquial in nature, and is more often used in interrogative and negative phrases.	Can I use your computer? yes, you can.	May I use your computer? Yes, use it.
	The children cannot go out.	Children are not allowed to go outside.
	You can go to the club after you clean the flat.	You can go to the club after you clean the apartment.
	Nobody can play with my toys!	Nobody can play with my toys!
	She can come in.	She can enter.
	You can't watch such films.	You shouldn't watch such films.
3. Expression of request. This meaning can be used modal verbs can, could, as well as may, might. Moreover, the past forms always express an extreme degree of politeness and respect. Shades of meanings vary in degree of formality - can is a more colloquial variant. However, in recent times English people increasingly prefer to use can instead of might.	could you open window?	Could you open the window?
	Mom, can I buy chips and cola?	Mom, can I buy some chips and coke?
	could you give me a glass of water?	Could you give me a glass of water?
	Can I lend your pencil?	May I borrow your pencil?
	dad, can I buy two games?	Dad, can I buy 2 games?
	could you spell his name?	Could you spell his name?
	Can we go home?	Can we go home?
4. Indication of an objective possibility, i.e. what is theoretically possible or forbidden.	You can read about this case in the newspaper.	You can read about this case in the newspaper.
	We cannot cross the street here.	We can't cross the street here.
	He can find it on the Internet.	He can find it on the Internet.
	I couldn't change the situation.	I couldn't change the situation.
5. Expression of doubt, surprise, distrust. For doubt use questions with can. And distrust is expressed by the denial of can't, but the extreme degree of distrust is expressed by a question with could.	Can it be true?	Is that really true?
	He can't run faster than I can.	He can't run faster than me.
	could our son be in this club?	How could our son be in this club?
	Can she learn English herself?	Is she learning English on her own?
6. Designation of the possibility of performing actions in the past, their assumption or reproach for non-fulfillment. These are just the cases in which the perfect infinitive and could are used. At the same time, negative phrases carry a shade of improbability of events.	She could have told me about it.	She could tell me about it. (but didn't tell)
	He couldn't have called you!	He couldn't call you! (unbelievable that he called her).
	They could have gone to the theater, but they didn't.	They could have gone to the theatre, but they didn't.
	The door was closed. Who could have closed it? Jack could have closed the door; the neighbors' say that they saw him.	The door was closed. Who could close it? Jack could close it because the neighbors say they saw him.

Can, could, be able to- it's like employees of one organization called "Opportunity".Can- the president, be able to is an his deputy, acould- This lady accountant of venerable age.

Be able to usewhich helps to form the future, the past and convey the subtlest shades of meaning - this is, in fact, a synonym for the verbcan. And a very useful synonym, because in itselfcandoes not have sufficient flexibility to change in different tenses and grammatical aspects.

Modal verbs in general are not particularly prone to change their form, and they often need helpers. For example,must often transfers its functions to "outsourcing" to the verbhave to .

By the way, earlier we have already touched on the inexhaustible topic of modality. For example, here in article, we explored the differencecan from may.

A little about why modal verbs are needed

I play the flute.
I play flute.

Ican play the flute.
I can play the flute.

How are these two phrases different? Of course, the fact that the second has a modal verbcan.

Modal verbsare the words thatmodify, that is, change the meaning of the semantic verb. Most often, they help express ideas of opportunity, intention, obligation, and necessity.

Can verb gives character to other wordspossibilities, feasibility or skills.

By adding can in the sentence " I play the flute,we get the value "ability to play the flute », « ability to play the flute ».

Simply put, I can = I can, I can.

And this is " can"can be either an innate, natural skill, ability or property given by nature:

birdscan fly.
Birds can fly.

Humanscan make mistakes.
People can make mistakes.

Olgacan be very sweet.
Olya can be very nice.

So is a skill that develops with training, like a learned language or the ability to play the guitar:

Ican speak Japanese, I've been learning this language for 10 years.
I speak Japanese, I have been studying this language for ten years.

Ican't play the flute well enough.
I don't play the flute well enough.

Olja is in the first grade, she can read and write.
Olya is in first grade, she can read and write.

Can is added to the sentence according to the scheme:

In it, S is the subject (the one who performs the action), M is the modal verb, and V is the semantic verb.

In a sentence " Mary can sing "(Mary can sing), Mary - subject, canis a modal verb, andsing- semantic.

Armed with this pattern, you can make a variety of sentences with modal verbs.

Teachers can teach.
Teachers can (can) teach.

Cats can catch mice.
Cats can (know how) to catch mice.

I can watch TV for hours.
I can watch TV for hours.

Can is also used in the following cases:

When we ask someone for something in an informal setting:

Can you lend me ten dollars?
Can you lend me ten dollars?

When we talk about plans for the near future:

Wecan go out to the new Italian restaurant for dinner.
We can have dinner at the new Italian restaurant.

We have already said that modal verbs are rather clumsy people. Here is a list of whatcan, as modal verb, cannot do:

Can doesn't bow to faces.

I must say that in general, when verbs are declined in English, this is expressed in only one thing - they adds in the third person singular:

I sing. (I sing).
She sings . (She sings).

All. No more transformations different faces in English verbs do not call.

So, modal verbs do not change at all. These are conservative verbs.Canin any face will remaincan:

I can dance.
I can dance.

She can dance.
She can dance.

Mistake: She can dance.

Can cannot be used with other auxiliary verbs.

For example, to ask a question, you cannot use the verbdo:

Do you play the flute?- not right.

It should simply be said:

Can you play the flute?
Can you play the flute?

Can does not attach the ending -ing.

Therefore, the aspect of duration is inaccessible to him. To describe the duration of an action, some other verb is needed.

Aspectperfect action is also unavailable.

Can does not exist in the perfect. Therefore, one cannot say:

"I have canned"

And you need:

"I have been able" (I could).

Atcan there are no past and future forms.

This verb simply cannot cope with all tenses alone, therefore it resorts to the help of its “employees” -could and be able to.

Let's dwell on them in more detail.

Can, could, be able to : regulationsuse

Let's see how this small team of professionals cope with a variety of grammar tasks.

could

Is a specialist in the past tense (remember thatcanmakes no sense at all in the past tense).

Imagine couldin the form of an old woman who constantly remembers how everything was before. We can say that she lives in her past:

Icould sleep less when I was young.
I could sleep less when I was young.

Icould walk for miles and miles.
I could walk for miles and miles.

That is, if you need to say about the skill, skill or ability in past simple feel free to use this verb instead ofcan.

couldused when making an assumption, if there is a bit of uncertainty in it:

She is speaking some language. It could be Russian.
She speaks some language. Maybe it's Russian.

Both verbs - and can, and could, can be used in request:

Can (could) you pass me this glass?
Can you pass me this glass?

Wherein, could(as befits a respectable lady) implies more politeness and formality.

**Difference betweencan and*be able to***

Generally, be able to is a synonymcan (and could in the past time).

I'able to swim = Ican swim.

Iwas able to swim = Icould swim.

But if canis needed to describe the skills and abilities acquired during life:

Ican sing, I've been studying music for 3 years.
I can sing, I studied music for three years.

then be able to , when it is used in the present tense, it mainly indicates the possibilities that open upinthis moment :

I'mable to sing, my throat doesn't hurt anymore.
I can sing, my throat doesn't hurt anymore.

If could- this is an old woman who thinks only about the past,be able to - An energetic business person who manages everything and everywhere.

He can afford what he can't docan- talk about the past, about the future, follow another modal verb and even add an ending -ing.

Formation of the past tense

To do this, you just need to putto be into the Past Simple form and addable to.

As you remember, wasused for the singular, andwere- for plural.

In the following sentences, try replacingcan on the was/were able toto consolidate in practice how the Past Simple is formed:

Hecan sell his old car. He can sell his old car.

Theycannot affordable fashionable clothing.

They cannot afford fancy clothes.

Able to : usein future tense

immutable attribute Future Simple is known to bewill, which means that it must be placed in front ofbe able to:

Iwill be able to work tomorrow.
I can work tomorrow.

Will yoube able to come to my birthday party?
Can you come to my day party birth?

Try rewriting the following sentences to make the future tense:

We can handle it.

We can handle it.

I can type with my eyes closed.

I can type with my eyes closed.

You can draw.

Can you draw.

Use with another modal verb

Another case whencandoes not cope with his affairs and calls for helpbe able to- when you want in a sentenceuse another modal verb. For example,should(about him in detail ).

You can't say:

"Sheshould can speak French.

"She should be able to speak French."

Instead of can put be able to:

Sheshould be able to speak French.

She must be able to speak French.

The same with the verb have to »:

Ihave to be able to do this.
I should be able to do it.

With "may":

Shemay be able to fix it.
She might be able to fix it.

C "must":

Hemust be able to pass the exam.
He must be able to pass the exam.

Use in Perfect Tenses

If you want to say something with the verb "to be able" in the Present Perfect, use the scheme:

has/have + been able to + V3

I've been able to translate the text.
I was able to translate the text.

Wehave been able to travel throughout the country.
We were able to travel all over the country.

Attaching an End-ing.

Since there is no such word ascanning, here again comes into playto be able to.

The ending -ingadded, of course, to the verbbe:

Being able to use a computer makes a big difference.

The ability to use a computer plays a big role.

It is boring and sometimes inconvenient to always use the same word to express some idea. Today we learned in what situations the "colleagues" of the modal verb are usedcan: could- in the past, and be able to- in future tense(and in the past too), as well as in situations where it is necessary to change the form of the verb.

Modal verbs are those that characterize duties, opportunities, desires and the need for action. They directly convey the attitude of the speaker to what is happening.
Despite the fact that modal verbs are strong and do not need the use of an auxiliary verb, when building interrogative and negative sentences, they cannot be used on their own without a semantic verb:

I cannot fly. - I can not fly.
You may go. - You can go.

In English, modal verbs are used independently only when they make up a short answer, or the meaning of the statement is clear from the previous context in which semantic (weak) verbs are used:

- Can you read this?
- I can.

Most people cannot run as fast as animals, but some can.

In English for expression possibilities / impossibilities or abilities / inability to do something, two modal verbs are most commonly used - can and may.

They do not change in persons and numbers, as evidenced by the absence of an ending -s- in the present simple tense, do not have all the usual forms for weak verbs (for example, the ending -ing) and do not require the help of an auxiliary verb do/do/did.

Can vs. May

Can and may have meaning in Russian be able / be able / allow. It should be noted right away that in most cases they are not interchangeable. The following statement is written on the image accompanying the article illustration:

Do as you may if you can't do as you could.

This aphorism uses three modal verbs at once, and all three will have different shades of meaning. The sentence itself is translated as follows:

Do what you are allowed to do if you are forbidden to do what you could.

There are certain criteria for choosing one or another verb.

Can has two forms in English - present tense and past tense could, which will also be used in the subjunctive.
However, in English it is possible to use the modal verb can in the future tense. In this case, it will be replaced by an equivalent verb to be able to do smth.

I can read English. - present simple
He thought he could do it alone.- Past Simple
I wish I could see it.
He told me he could have seen it earlier.- Perfect

She will be able to finish the painting in Summer.- Future

May used in English in the present tense and past might, which can also be found in subjunctive sentences.

May I come in?-Present Simple
They might come yesterday.- Past Simple
He might be at home.- Subjunctive mood (subjunctive mood)

Use of Can and May

Modal verb can has a wider range of uses compared to the verb may.

1. For expression ability or ability to do something use can:

I can swim. Can you?

2. Can also used to denote opportunities(theoretical or according to some rules):

You can find it in any dictionary.
Russian Railways can chage the fares seasonally.- Russian Railways may change tariffs depending on the season.

3. When banned used for something cannot (can't). You can also meet with prohibitions may, but they will sound too “soft”:

You cannot talk too loud in the library. You can't speak loudly in the library.
You may not talk loudly in the library. You are not allowed to speak loudly in the library.

4. Request can be expressed through can or could. The latter in this case will have emphasized courtesy:

Can you pass me some butter?
Could you pass me some butter?

5. When expression of surprise in interrogative sentences or reproach the narration often uses a modal verb can. Its form could will reflect the extreme degree of the state:

How can you be so rude?- How can you be so rude?
You could tell me in the end.- After all, you could tell me!

6. Cannot (can't) used to denote strong distrust:

She can't work there.- She can't work there.
They couldn't have done it.- They just couldn't do it.

Please note that in almost all cases of use could, the verb underlines exaggerated attitude speaking to current events.

In situations where you ask permission to do something can be used both modal verbs. Offers from may at the same time they will sound more formally:

You can come in.- You can come in.
You may have come in.- Come in./ You can come in.

Modal verbs may/might contain character speaker's uncertainty about the events described. As in the case of could past form might transmits greater degree of uncertainty:

Somebody's calling. It may be Mary.- Someone's calling. Maybe it's just Mary.
It may rain. Take an umbrella.- It can start raining. Take the umbrella.

Modal verb may most often used in particularly polite treatment:

May I sit down?- Can I sit down? / May I sit down?
Can I sit down? would rather be translated “May I sit down?”

Often might used in the expression reproach. The proposal sounds particularly poignant:

You might have told me beforehand.- I could have warned you in advance.

In this article, we started a big important topic on modal verbs and talked about two of them. In future publications, we will definitely try to highlight the remaining representatives of this category.

We wish you to be able to master this grammar material! May success be with you!

Victoria Tetkina

Modal verb can(can) and its form could(could) is the most common modal verb in English. We use it to show that we can do something. In this article, we will get acquainted with all the features of the modal verb can (could).

The first thing to remember after can or could there must be another verb. After all, by itself can does not inform about the action, but only shows our attitude towards it: "I can do some action." And after that “can” it is necessary to add “what can I do?”: can dance(I can dance) can sing(I can sing), etc.

And the second thing that should not be forgotten, after can we don't put to: can speak English. We are used to the fact that two verbs in English should be connected with each other using to: decide to drink coffee(decide to drink coffee) or offer to go for a walk(suggest to go for a walk). But modal can works without to.

We noted that this modal verb has two forms: can and could. We use these forms with any subject in both singular and plural.

My friend can speak Japanese. - My friend knows how speak Japanese.

My friends can dance salsa. - My friends can dance salsa.

What's the difference between can and could? Can is used when someone is currently able to do something, and could- when someone knew how to do something in the past, now, most likely, they no longer know how.

He can swim. - He can to swim.

He could swim. - He was able to swim.

How to build a sentence with can (could)

In the table we will clearly show how to use can in different types offers.

Statement
Subject	Can/could	Action	Example
I You He She It We They	can could	verb	I can help you. - I can help you. They could ride a bike. - They knew how to ride a bike.
Negation
I You He She It We They	cannot (can't) could not (couldn't)	verb	I cannot help you. - I can not help you. They couldn't ride a bike. They didn't know how to ride a bike.

And in the question, as expected, the word order will be slightly different.

Question
Can/could	Subject	Action	Example
Can Sould	I you he she it we they	verb	Can I help you? - I can help you? Could they ride a bike? Did they know how to ride a bike?

Let's take a look at some of the features can:

Can (could) is always between the subject and the predicate.
To ask questions, we'll just reschedule can and could in the first place, nothing else needs to be added.
In denial a particle not joins can (could), forming the shape cannot (could not). In colloquial speech, we usually cannot shorten to can't (couldn't). By the way, cannot is the only modal that merges with the particle not when writing. Do you know how to pronounce correctly can't: /kɑːnt/ or / kænt/? There is a British pronunciation - / /. And teacher Ronnie will teach you American pronunciation in his video.

What does the modal verb can (could) mean?

The easiest way to understand the meaning can (could) on examples. We express with can:

The mental or physical ability to do something.
In this case can (could) is usually translated as "to be able", "to be able".

I can't speak to you now but I can call you in the evening. – I can't talk to you now, but I can call you in the evening.

He could speak French. – He could speak French.

Can you drive a car? - Can you drive a car?
Common Statements

We use can when we want to show that some statement is true in most cases. Here we translate can like "may".

The vacuum can frighten your cat. The vacuum cleaner can scare your cat. (as a rule, cats are afraid of vacuum cleaners, but not all)

In New York it can be difficult to rent an apartment. It can be difficult to rent an apartment in New York.

Flowers can grow faster if they get a lot of sunshine. Flowers can grow faster if they get a lot of sunlight.

It should be noted that we do not use the form could to express this value.

Permission, request, prohibition.
There are several patterns here: a request is usually conveyed with a question, permission with an affirmation, and a ban with a denial. If we see a request or permission in a sentence, then we translate can the verb "to be able", the prohibition is most often translated by the word "impossible".

Can I take your car for the weekend? Can I borrow your car for the weekend? (request)
– Yes, you can. - Yes you can. (permission)
– But you can't exceed the speed limit. “But you can't go over the speed limit. (ban)

We can make a request using can and could. Both options are often used in speech, only such requests differ in the degree of politeness. Let's look at examples:

Can you tell me where the nearest bus station is? – Can you tell me where the nearest bus stop is? (this treatment is more typical if you communicate with a person of your same age)

Could you tell me where the nearest bus stop is? – Could you tell me where the nearest bus stop is? (this is a more polite question, more often the English will use this option to be as polite and courteous as possible in a conversation)

With help can we can not only ask for permission, but also offer something ourselves. To do this, we use the question form.

Can I offer you a cup of tea? – May I offer you a cup of tea?

Can I help you choose a dress for the party? Can I help you choose a dress for the party?

Watch an interesting video from the teacher Alex in which he, to the already known to us can and could, added a verb may.
- You can also learn about the features of the modal verb may in the article "".
Surprise, doubt, disbelief.
This function also has its own patterns: doubt and distrust are usually found in negative sentences, and surprise in interrogative ones. The verb is translated can (could) in such cases, the words “really”, “cannot be”, “hardly”, “can’t believe”, “possibly”, “probably”.

Can these shoes cost so much money? Are these shoes really worth that much? (astonishment)

He can't work all day round. It can't be that he works around the clock. (mistrust)

Do you know that could is the past tense form can. But if we want to express doubt in the past, we use the form can't have.

He can't have fallen asleep at the meeting. “It can't be that he fell asleep during the meeting.

They can't have missed the last bus. I can't believe they missed the last bus.

If someone violated the ban or disobeyed the advice, then you can reproach him for this, using the same verb can. There is, however, one peculiarity: such sentences are built in the form of a negative question.

Can't you just stop telling silly jokes to the guests? Can you just stop telling stupid jokes to guests?

Can't you get along with her friends? - Can't you communicate normally with her friends?

Set expressions with the verb can (could)

Can (could) occurs in some established expressions. Here are some of the most common ones:

Can't (couldn't) but do something– there was nothing left but.
I couldn't but agree with him. I had no choice but to agree with him.
Couldn't help doing something- could not resist to; could not.
I couldn't help laughing. - I couldn't help laughing.
Can't stand something/somebody I can't stand something/someone.
I can't stand him. - I can't stand him.

To make sure the modal verb can (could) you remember well, take the test and keep our handy sign for yourself.

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The use of the modal verb can (could)