Can and CouldA1–A2
Can for ability, permission and requests; could for past ability, polite requests and possibility. Can and could never change and take the base verb without to: She can swim. Can she swim?
No information at the current level. This view starts at A1: choose A1 or a higher level.
No information at the current level. This view starts at A1: choose A1 or a higher level.
CheatsheetA1–A2
| Point | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Form | subject + can + base verb; one form for every subject | She can swim. |
| Negative | can't; the full form is cannot, one word | I can't swim. |
| Question | Can + subject + base verb; no do | Can you swim? |
| Ability | can for skills | I can cook pasta. |
| Permission | can allows, can't forbids; ask with Can I…? | You can park here. / Can I open the window? |
| Request | Can you…? asks for help | Can you help me, please? |
| A2Past ability | could for general ability in the past | I could run fast when I was young. |
| A2Polite request | Could is more polite than can | Could you open the door, please? |
| A2Possibility | could says what may happen | It could rain later. |
| A2Other tenses | be able to takes the place of can | I'll be able to help you tomorrow. |
| A2Trap | a single success in the past takes was / were able to | The fire was big, but we were able to escape. |
OverviewA1
- can and could have one form for every subject: I can, she can.
- The verb after can or could is in the base form: She can swim.
- Questions and negatives need no do: Can you swim? / I can't swim.
- The written negative is can't; the full form is cannot, one word.
Pronunciation: can and can'tA1
| Form | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| can (weak, in a sentence) | /kən/ | I can swim. /aɪ kən ˈswɪm/ |
| can (strong, at the end or for emphasis) | /kæn/ | Yes, I can. /jes aɪ ˈkæn/ |
| can't | /kɑːnt/ (US: /kænt/) | I can't swim. /aɪ ˈkɑːnt swɪm/ |
- In a statement the stress falls on the main verb, so can is short.
- can't is always stressed and has a long vowel in British English.
UseA1–A2
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Ability: skills (can) | I can cook pasta. |
| Permission: what is allowed (can) | You can park here. |
| Not allowed (can't) | You can't smoke here. |
| Asking for permission (Can I…?) | Can I open the window? |
| Requests (Can you…?) | Can you help me, please? |
| A2Senses: see, hear, smell | I can hear music. |
| A2General ability in the past (could) | I could run fast when I was young. |
| A2Polite requests (Could you…?) | Could you open the door, please? |
| A2Polite permission (Could I…?) | Could I use your phone? |
| A2Possibility | It could rain later. |
A2
- Could is more polite than can in a request. The answer uses can: Could I sit here? — Yes, of course you can.
- be able to takes the place of can in other tenses: I'll be able to help you tomorrow.
- A single success in the past takes was / were able to: The fire was big, but we were able to escape.
- For other possibility words see May and Might.
Typical errorsA1–A2
| ✗ | ✓ | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| She cans swim. | She can swim. | can has no -s |
| I can to swim. | I can swim. | can + base verb; no to |
| Do you can swim? | Can you swim? | questions with can need no do |
| I don't can swim. | I can't swim. | negative = can't |
| A2I can swim when I was five. | I could swim when I was five. | past ability → could |
| She can swims. | She can swim. | can + base verb |