Vamos estudar nesse post can and could (modal verbs). Daremos atenção na sua formação e uso. Teremos também em destaque as sentenças e o áudio.

> can + verb > can speak / can play / can run etc:

can – positive/negativecan – question
I can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speakcan I do/see/come/speak?
you can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speakcan I do/see/come/speak?
he can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speakcan I do/see/come/speak?
she can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speakcan I do/see/come/speak?
it can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speakcan I do/see/come/speak?
we can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speakcan I do/see/come/speak?
you can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speakcan I do/see/come/speak?
they can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speakcan I do/see/come/speak?

Use > ability/permission/polite requests

  • I can do something
  • when we ask people to do things
  • is it OK to do something?

Examples sentences:

  1. I can play the guitar.
  2. My sister can speak English, but she can’t speak Spanish.
  3. Can you play the piano?
  4. Can you open the door, please?
  5. Can you wait a moment, please?
  6. Can I sit here?
  7. Can you play chess?
  8. Can you drive a car?
  9. They can dance very well.
  10. She can speak several languages.
  11. Can I ask a question, please?
  12. Can we go home now?
  13. Can I help you?

> For the past (yesterday / last week etc.), we use could/couldn’t:

  1. When Donald was young, he could run very fast.
  2. Kimberly was tired last night, but she couldn’t sleep.
  3. I had a party last week, but my parents couldn’t come.
  4. Could you open the door, please?
  5. Could I borrow your umbrella?
  6. Melissa could read when she was five.
  7. Couldn’t you come with me?
  8. Where could we find a map?

Exercises:

Crosswords – Modal Verbs – Can/Could + Vocabulary
Combinação – Modal Verbs – Can/Could + Vocabulary
Trem e balão – Vocabulary
Labirinto – Vocabulary