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/negative | can – question |
| I can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speak | can I do/see/come/speak? |
| you can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speak | can I do/see/come/speak? |
| he can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speak | can I do/see/come/speak? |
| she can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speak | can I do/see/come/speak? |
| it can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speak | can I do/see/come/speak? |
| we can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speak | can I do/see/come/speak? |
| you can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speak | can I do/see/come/speak? |
| they can/can’t (cannot) do/see/come/speak | can 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:
- I can play the guitar.
- My sister can speak English, but she can’t speak Spanish.
- Can you play the piano?
- Can you open the door, please?
- Can you wait a moment, please?
- Can I sit here?
- Can you play chess?
- Can you drive a car?
- They can dance very well.
- She can speak several languages.
- Can I ask a question, please?
- Can we go home now?
- Can I help you?
> For the past (yesterday / last week etc.), we use could/couldn’t:
- When Donald was young, he could run very fast.
- Kimberly was tired last night, but she couldn’t sleep.
- I had a party last week, but my parents couldn’t come.
- Could you open the door, please?
- Could I borrow your umbrella?
- Melissa could read when she was five.
- Couldn’t you come with me?
- Where could we find a map?