What does can mean in English. Modal verb can (could): meaning, usage. Negative sentences with "can"

Modal verbs are verbs that express a person's assessment of the surrounding reality. Not denoting action, they express attitude towards action.

The action itself (meaning) is expressed by the infinitive of the verb (but without the particle to!), standing after the modal, therefore, they are usually not used separately from semantic ones.

One of the most common and frequently used modal verbs is can (could). Consider the features of its use.

Rules for using the verbs can and could

The verb can, like other modal verbs, has grammatical features:

The verb can does not change form for various persons and numbers (in the third person singular the ending -s is missing).
Has no impersonal forms(that is, does not form , and ).
The verb can is missing. In the past tense, this verb turns into the form could, and to form the future tense, a close equivalent is used to be able to (be able to do something).

I could play football from morning till night when I was a child.- I could play football from morning to night when I was a child.

I will be able to send you an answer tomorrow after breakfast. I can send you an answer tomorrow after breakfast.

Note: to be able to has a slightly different connotation. Can expresses the ability, the possibility in a general sense, while to be able to - the ability to do something at a certain point in time.

You can feel the difference with an example:

I can play the piano, but I am not able to do it at the moment because my hand is broken.- I can play the piano, but I can’t play now (I don’t have the opportunity) because my arm is broken.

When forming negatives and questions with modal verbs, auxiliary verbs are not used.

To form a question, can (could) is simply placed before the subject:

Can you give me a screwdriver?- Can you give me a screwdriver?

There are two entries for negation with can - full and abbreviated:

Cannot(only continuous spelling) - can't (in the present tense);
could not- couldn't (in the past).

The abbreviated form is used in informal, colloquial speech.

You can't just sit and watch TV all day long. You can't just sit and watch TV all day.

The use of the verb can (lexical meaning of can)

No homework. Without teeth. Without textbooks

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Negatives with the verbs can (could)

They are built without auxiliary verbs, the particle not is placed after the verb can / could.

Examples:

You cannot (can't) act this way, there are children all around.“You can’t act like this, there are children around here.

Jake could not (couldn't) understand anything at the lesson yesterday. Jake could not understand anything during the lesson yesterday.

Interrogative sentences with can/could verbs

To construct a question, let's change the word order characteristic of an affirmative sentence: Can/could + subject + semantic verb + other members of the sentence.

Examples:

Can you find any mistakes in this text? Can you find errors in this text?

Could you read when you were four years old? Did you know how to read when you were four years old?

By using interrogative sentences with can (could) they often express a request, which is usually translated into Russian as “Could you”, “allow me”:

Can I ask you a couple of questions?– Can I ask you a couple of questions? (May I ask you a couple of questions?)

Could you give me that juicy piece of meat? - Could you pass me that juicy piece of meat?

Building questions with can (could) with qualifying words

For more information, you can use clarifying words:

Who (who)
What (what)
Where (where)
When (when)
Which (which)
why (why)

It remains the same as in an interrogative sentence without qualifying words, but a qualifying word is placed before can/could:

Clarifying word + can / could + subject + semantic verb + other members of the sentence.

Examples:

Who can show me the city? Who can show me the city?

What can Peter do to save the situation? What can Peter do to save the situation?

Note. In questions with clarifying words, the verb can (could) is often not translated:

Where can I find the best restaurant? Where can I find the best restaurant?

Who can speak German? – Does anyone speak German?

Set expressions with can

Let's list them:

Can't stand- can't stand, can't stand
Can't help doing something- can't help but do something (can't resist doing something)
Can't take my eyes off her/him- can't take my eyes off him/her
Can't think straight- can't concentrate
Can't get you out of my head- I can't get you out of my head
Can't get enough of something- can't get enough of anything

Summarize:

The verb can does not denote action., and therefore is used only together with semantic verbs;
Could is, but it can also mean in some senses;
with can, as well as negative ones, are built without the use of auxiliary verbs, simply by changing the word order (for questions) and adding a negative particle (for negation);
The meaning of the verb can: ability, skill, resolution, doubt (surprise);
When expressing the meaning of doubt, mistrust using could instead of can will make you less categorical, tough;
If you ask permission someone, then using could instead of can will make the tone more polite;
There are many fixed expressions with can, which are better to learn.

More specifically, modal verbs. These verbs do not express specific processes (actions), but only show the attitude of the speaker to the action, its assessment, i.e. opportunity, necessity, permission, etc.

Modal verbs are defective verbs because they do not have all the forms that other verbs have. Today we will get acquainted with the modal verb "can". Let's get started.

Education rules

The first thing to remember when using the modal verbs "can" and "could" is after them Necessarily another goes semantic verb. After all, the modal verb Can itself does not report on the action, but only shows our attitude towards it: “I can do some kind of action.” And after that “can” it is necessary to add “can I do what?”: “can drive a car” (I can drive a car), “can cook” (I can cook), etc.

The second - after "can" we do not use in speech particle " to': 'can speak English'. We are used to the fact that two verbs in English should be connected with each other using “to”: “decide to take a nap” (decide to take a nap) or “offer to go shopping” (offer to go shopping).

But the modal can/could" works without « to».

Third - " can' is used when someone Maybe do something now, and " could- when someone could do something in the past, now, most likely, can no longer.

Forms of the modal verb Can

As we said, the modal verb "can" refers to "defective verbs" and has only 2 forms: "can" and "could". We use these forms with any subject in both singular and plural.

I can(am able to) ride a horse. - I Can(can) ride a horse.
I could(was able to) speak Chinese when I was a kid. - When I was a child, I was able to speak Chinese.

To build the question, we'll just put "can" and "could" first, nothing else needs to be added.

The equivalent of the verb can - be able to

So we've seen the present and past tenses of can, but what about the future, present continuous, and other tenses in English?

In such situations, you should use the modal verb " be able to". It means " be able to do something". Since in this expression all operations are carried out with the verb "be", which freely changes in tenses, this phrase can replace "can" at any tense:

I will be able to do the task tomorrow.
I won't be able to do the task tomorrow.
Will you be able to do the task tomorrow? - Yes, I will. / No, I won't.

Conclusion

Things to remember about the verb can:

"Can" is a modal verb. Together with it, no other auxiliary or modal verbs can stand next to it in one sentence:

do / does / did / am / is / are / was / were - auxiliary verbs;
may / must / might / should - other modal verbs.

"Can" can only be used in the present tense. In Can, the past tense has the form " could" or " was able to / were able to», in future - « will be able to", I want to be able -" I want to be able».
before the word " can» particle « to" stand can not. As, in fact, after.
Not every Russian Maybe» rolls into English « can". There are words " may/might", meaning probability but not skill.
Remember the phrase: What can I do? This is how questions are built with “ can».

And finally, " can" is not only a verb, but also a noun. Moreover, as a noun, “can” does not mean “skill” or “be able” at all, but “tin can”, “aluminum can for drinks”, “barrel for oil”, “keg”, etc.

Why will you succeed in English? Because you can!

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

In addition to the usual verbs in English language there are special verbs that are not like others, because they are not used by themselves, but only accompanied by ordinary verbs, do not change in persons and do not obey grammatical rules. They are called modal - that is, these verbs express not the action itself, but the attitude towards it. The main representatives of this group, the most common and more often used in oral and written speech are the modal verbs can, may, must, and this article will be devoted to the first of the listed verbs - can- "to be able, to be able." This verb, unlike other modal verbs, has the form of the present tense - can and the past tense - could.

General features of modal verbs

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As mentioned above, modal verbs do not follow general grammatical rules and they all have distinctive features.

They do not change in persons and numbers (that is, the same form for all persons - I can, she can)
They do not require the use of an auxiliary verb, but act as an auxiliary verb themselves (not Do you can swim but - Can you swim)
They are followed by the infinitive of the verb without particle to(He can't speak Chineese)

Conjugation of the modal verb Can in examples
Let's follow the affirmative, interrogative and negative forms of the modal verb can - could in the sentence "I can draw"

I can draw a picture - I can (could) draw a picture - I could draw a picture
We can draw a picture - we can (could) draw a picture - we could draw a picture
You can draw a picture - you can (could) draw a picture - you could draw a picture
He, she, it can draw a picture - he, she can (could) draw a picture - he, she, it could draw a picture

As you can see from the examples, the modal verb can (could) has only one form that fits all persons without exception and does not change.

The negative form is formed using the negative particle not, which is placed after the modal verb can not (can't) and could not (couldn't).

I cannot (can't) / could not (couldn't) draw a picture
We cannot / could not draw a picture
You cannot / could not draw a picture
He, she, it cannot / could not draw a picture

At education interrogative form we use the modal verb can as an auxiliary verb and build an interrogative sentence in the following sequence: 1) - interrogative word (if any), 2) - auxiliary verb can /could, 3) - subject, 4) - predicate, 5) - secondary sentence members. Let's try to translate the following questions into English together:

Can you read German? – Can you read German? (a general question does not contain a question word, so the translation of the sentence begins with an auxiliary verb)
What can you cook for lunch? – What can you cook for dinner? (special question, contains a question word)
Who can fix the TV? – Who can repair the TV? (question to the subject - note that in this case, the auxiliary verb is immediately followed by the predicate)

What does the modal verb can mean? When should it be used?

1) Modal verb can has several meanings, but its main purpose is to express the physical and mental ability of a person. when we speak “I can cook - I can (can) cook”, we mean that we have the ability to cook dinner. “I can open this box - I can open this box”, i.e. I have enough strength, I am physically strong enough to open this box.

We can help you to do the summs ( mental ability)
I can carry the luggage to the car (physical ability)

2) Using the modal verb can, we express a prohibition, request or permission:

You cannot go out - you cannot go outside (prohibition)
Can I have dinner with you? - Can I have lunch with you? (request)
You can watch TV after you complete your lessons - You can watch TV when you finish your lessons (permission)

3) Surprise, distrust, doubt can also be expressed using the modal verb can. In this case, the sentence will more often be interrogative or negative, and the modal verb will more often be translated as "really."

Could he cheat me? - Did he deceive me?
I couldn't have lost the money - I couldn't lose money
How can you say such a thing! How can you say such things!
She can't be 50! Is she 50 years old?

We often see the modal verb can accompanied by the verbs of perception and feelings feel, see, hear, understand and others, but in this case we often do not translate the modal verb into Russian:

I can feel the flavor of roses - I can feel the aroma of roses
Can you understand what I tell you? Do you understand what I'm telling you?

At the end of this article, we suggest remembering constructions in which the modal verb can is present:

It can't be possibly true - It can't be true
I can't but ask him about it - I have no choice but to ask him about it
I couldn't help laughing - I couldn't help but laugh

In this lesson, we will discuss the use modal verb can, and also consider modal verb could in English.

Modal verb can in English

can - be able, I can

You can take my car. You can take my car.

A few rules to remember:

1. Can is self-contained, so we don't use to before the next semantic verb.

I can go. I can go.

2. Can is always used WITHOUT auxiliary verbs. To negate, we add the particle not to can. When asked, can is moved to the beginning.

I can't take you with me. I can't take you with me.

I can't go with them. I can't go with them.

You can't help us. Get away! You can't help us. Leave!

Can you do the same? Can you do the same?

Why can't you believe me? Why can't you believe me?

Can you swim? You can swim?

Can you help me? You can help me?

3. Can is only used in the present tense. In the future tense, the verb can can be expressed by turnover to be able to. For the past tense, the modal verb could is used (more on this later).

My friend Mark will be able to speak English. My friend Mark will be able to speak English.

Mark will not be able to work with Rachel. Mark will not be able to work with Rachel.

Modal verb could in English

could - be able, I can, could

1. Could is the past tense of the modal verb can. But there is a small nuance here. When we talk about what we could do in the past at any (long) point in time, then we use could , but if we are talking about a specific situation, then you should use was (were) able to . Couldn "t can be used in any situation (in a specific situation, or talking about some long time in the past).

When he went to kindergarten, he already could talk. When he went to kindergarten, he could already speak.

You canceled the order? Yes I was able to cancel this order. Have you canceled your order? Yes, I was able to cancel this order.

Yesterday I was so tired and I couldn't do nothing. Yesterday I was so tired and couldn't do anything.

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Modal verb "can" used in English to express a person's ability to do something. Given verb does not serve to indicate an action, it has a different meaning. That is why it is called modal.

During the construction of interrogative and negative sentences, "can" behaves in the same way as "to be". That is, it does not need any auxiliary verbs.

Conjugation of the verb "can". affirmative proposals.

Examples of affirmative sentences with the verb can

I can swim. I can swim. Mary and Brad can read and write. Mary and Brad can read and write. She can dance several hours without a break. She can dance for several hours without a break.

Negative sentences with "can"

Examples of negative sentences with the verb can

He can't swim. He can't swim. Their parents can't drive. Their parents do not know how to drive (a car). These people can't understand the French language. These people cannot understand French.

Interrogative sentences with "can"

Examples of interrogative sentences with the verb can

Can he drive? Can he drive? Can you understand English speech? Can you understand English speech? Can Nina and Peter write poems? Nina and Peter can write poems?