Unit 31: can and could

Full Textbook Version

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GRAMMAR
EXAMPLES
EXERCISES

A. can + infinitive (can do / can play / can come etc.)

I can play the piano.
Could you open the door, please?

He can play the piano.

I/we/you/theycan
cannot (can’t)		do
play
see
come
etc.
he/she/it
cando?
play?
see?
come?
etc.
I/we/you/they
he/she/it

B. I can do something = I know how to do it / it is possible for me to do it:

I can play the piano. My brother can play the piano too.
Sarah can speak Italian but she can’t speak Spanish.
‘Can you swim?’ ‘Yes, but I’m not a very good swimmer.’
‘Can you change twenty pounds?’ ‘I’m sorry, I can’t.’
I’m having a party next week but Paul and Jenny can’t come.

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

When I was young, I could run very fast.
Before Anna came to Britain, she couldn’t understand much English. Now she can.
I was tired last night but I couldn’t sleep.
I had a party last week but Paul and Jenny couldn’t come.

D. Can you … ? Could you … ? Can I … ? Could I … ?

We use Can you … ? or Could you … ? when we ask people to do things:

Can you open the door, please? or Could you open the door, please?
Can you wait a moment, please? or Could you wait … ?

We use Can I have … ? or Could I have … ? to ask for something:

(in a shop) Can I have these postcards, please? or Could I have … ?

Can I … ? or Could I … ? = is it OK to do something?:

Tom, can I borrow your umbrella? or Tom, could I borrow your umbrella?
(on the phone) Hello, can I speak to Gerry, please? or … could I speak … ?
May I … ? → UNIT 30

Examples

I can play the piano.
Sarah can speak Italian.
Can you swim?
I can’t change twenty pounds.
Paul and Jenny can’t come.
I could run very fast when I was young.
She couldn’t understand much English.
I couldn’t sleep last night.
Could you open the door, please?
Can I have these postcards?
Can I borrow your umbrella?

Exercises 31.1 – 31.4

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31.1 Ask Steve if he can do these things.

STEVE
🏊
1. swim
🏃
2. run 10 km
🎹
3. play the piano
🚗
4. drive
♟️
5. play chess
🐎
6. ride a horse
  1. Can you swim?

Can you do these things? Write sentences about yourself. Use I can or I can’t.

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31.2 Complete these sentences. Use can or can’t + one of these verbs:

come
find
hear
see
speak
  1. I’m sorry but we can’t come to your party next Saturday.
  2. I like this hotel room. You the mountains from the window.
  3. You are speaking very quietly. I you.
  4. Have you seen my bag? I it.
  5. Catherine got the job because she five languages.
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31.3 Complete these sentences. Use can’t or couldn’t + one of these verbs:

decide
find
get
go
sleep
eat
  1. I was tired but I couldn’t sleep.
  2. I wasn’t hungry yesterday. I my dinner.
  3. Ann doesn’t know what to do. She .
  4. I wanted to speak to Martin yesterday but I him.
  5. Jim to the meeting last week. He was ill.
  6. Paula to the concert next Saturday. He has to work.
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31.4 What do you say in these situations? Use can or could. Use the words in brackets (…).

🚪
1. open
🧂
2. pass
🔄
3. turn off
📱
4. have
🎁
5. give
☂️
6. borrow
  1. You’re with a friend. You want to open the door.
    Could you open the door, please?
  2. You’re in a restaurant. You want the salt.
  3. You’re in a cinema. The lights are on. You want them off.
  4. You’re in a shop. You want to buy a phone.
  5. You’re with a friend. You want to give them a gift.
  6. You’re with a friend. You want to borrow their umbrella.

Unit 31: can and could • Full Interactive Textbook