Reading Lesson 1: Can, Could, Able to, Allowed to

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• mavo
• Leerjaar 3

Modal Verbs

Kunnen

Can / Cannot 

Je gebruikt can om aan te geven dat je iets 'kunt'

I can swim very well

She can count to 1000 in Spanish

Je gebruikt cannot om aan te geven dat je iets 'niet kunt'

We cannot swim very well

He can't hear anything, he is deaf

Could / Could not

Je gebruikt could om aan te geven of vragen dat iets 'zou kunnen'

I could help you with that if you like.

Could I have a cup of tea please?

Je gebruikt could om aan te geven dat iets 'kon'

She could swim very well when she was younger

Je gebruikt could not om aan te geven dat iets 'niet kon'

He could not talk until he was five.

Was/Were able to

Je gebruikt was able to en were able to om aan te geven dat je op één moment in het verleden in staat was om iets succesvol te doen

will be able to kan gebruikt worden voor de toekomst

I was able to get a huge discount on that item yesterday!

be allowed to

Je gebruikt be allowed to om aan te geven of iemand toestemming heeft/had/zal hebben om iets te doen

I was allowed to go to the party yesterday

You will be allowed to go to the toilet in five minutes

Exercise 1

Can, cannot, could or could not?

Complete each sentence with the missing modal verbs.

Type the whole sentence!

You __ park here, it is forbidden.

Sam __ go to the party because he was too busy.

He does not have a racket so he __ play tennis.

___ you ride a bike when you were seven?

Pamela is a ballerina, she __ dance very well.

They __ see the lunar eclipse yesterday.

If my sister were younger, she __ learn English.

I looked everywhere but I __ find my keys.

__ dinosaurs fly?

If you are hungry, you __ eat a banana.

Exercise 2

Could or Was/were able to?

Complete each sentence with the missing modal verbs.

Type the whole sentence!

Only use was/were able to for successes!

Our team ___ win the cup six times.

Walter __ avoid the dog at the last moment.

Frank ___ speak any Spanish before he moved to Spain.

John __ walk for a couple of weeks because his leg was broken.

Scientists ___ take a picture of a black hole last year.

Exercise 3

Extra practice:

Go to the websites and practice more

https:

https:

Exercise 4

Extra challenge:

Type 3 sentences with each given modal verb

Can

Could

Was able to / Were able to