grammar · neutral

can + base verb

Band 4-5speakingtask1

Used for ability, informal permission, or possibility.

Examples

“I can swim.”

“Can I open the window?”

“This file can be downloaded from the website.”

Band 8 sentence

“I can usually finish my assignments in an evening, but this project will take longer because of the research involved.”

Collocations

  • can/can't / be able to / could

Common mistakes

I can finished it yesterday.→I could finish it yesterday / I was able to finish it yesterday.

She cans speak Japanese.→She can speak Japanese.

Can to I borrow your pen?→Can I borrow your pen?

Say it for a higher band

5could→6be able to→7+can + base verb

Easily confused

could

“When I was young I could run for hours.”

Related words

have / has + past participlesubject + V(s) (simple present)be about to + base verbbe + V-ingso + adjective/adverb + that + clauseIf + present perfect, will + base verbNot only + clause, but also + clausewill have been + V-ing

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In Tenses

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