A1C Can/could

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Grammar U 7 page 86. Can/could

Today

Lesson up Can/could

Page 86 student's book exercises

Learning goals

1. At the end of this lesson you can tell the difference between can and could.

2. At the end of this lesson you have practised short answers with can and could.

Exercise 1

This exercise is to meant to practice your "short answers".

Match the questions with the answers.

Yes, she is. She can ski very well.

Yes, she can. She is a Portuguese teacher.

No, it isn’t. She can’t skate well.

Yes, she can. She is very good at it.

No, she could not run fast. Now she can.

No, she couldn’t speak Portuguese.

Can Sally speak Portuguese now?

Could Sally run fast two years ago?

Is Sally good at skiing?

Could Sally speak Portuguese when she was a child?

Is skating Sally’s favorite sport?

Can Sally ski?

Can/can't/could/couldn't

Now we get to 

how and when 

to use can(n't) and could(n't)

Can/can't/could/couldn't

Positive sentences

Robert can swim well.

Martina could play tennis when she was 10.

Can/can't/could/couldn't

Negative sentences

Robert cannot (can’t) swim well.

Martina could not (couldn’t) play tennis when she was 10.

Can/can't/could/couldn't

Interrogative sentences (vraagzinnen)

Can Robert swim well?

Could Martina play tennis when she was 10?

Can/can't/could/couldn't

1. We gebruiken can/can't om aan te geven wat we nu wel of niet kunnen.
Voorbeeld: I can play football. I can’t play the violin.

2. We gebruiken could/couldn't om aan te geven wat we vroeger wel of niet konden.
Voorbeeld: When I was little, I couldn’t speak Italian but I can now.

Can/can't/could/couldn't

3. We gebruiken can/could om iets te vragen/verzoeken.
Voorbeelden:
Can you pass me the ball please?

Could you pass me the salt?

Could is meer beleefd.

Exercise 2

Answer the questions in the following slides by using can/can't/could/couldn't

Exercise 2

Before you start, I will show you an example:

Question: Can you play basketball?
Answer: Yes, I can play basketball.

Could you run fast when you were a child?

Can you swim well?

Can you play tennis?

Could you play many games when you were a child?

Exercise 3

Turn the sentences in the following slides into questions.

Example
Sentence: Suzie can't swim
Answer: Can Suzie swim?

Sally can’t skate.

Sally can run fast.

David can’t play tennis.

Simon can play basketball.

Exercise 4

In the following slides you have to use can/could to make requests.

Example
Sentence: open the window
Answer: Can you open the window? / Could you open the window?

Bij een aantal vraagzinnen kun je zowel can als could gebruiken. 

hold the door

ask the teacher

speak up

Final exercise 

Make a list of 5 things you couldn’t do when you were little, and you can now.

Example
When I was little, I couldn't play video games but I can now.

Make a list of 5 things you couldn’t do when you were little, and you can now (5 sentences)

The End

Well done , outstanding work!

(Outstanding means uitstekend.)