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Modal : can/could

'Can' is a modal auxiliary.

It does not take an  's' in the present tense:

she can/he can

The past tense is 'could'.

You use it like an auxiliary in the interrogative and negative forms:

can you...? / he can't / he cannot

It has no infinitive form, 'to can' does not exist.

It has no participle.

 If you want to use it in a tense which is not present or past you have to use

'to be able to'

He will be able to run

He has been able to run

Notice that you sometimes can say :

'He is able to' instead of 'he can'

'He was able to' instead of 'he could'

'Can' is used to express :

 Possibility:

He can run for hours

He can swim

  Permission:

He can open the window

Can I go out Mum?

 It is used with some verbs (to hear,to feel,to smell,to see)  

He can hear the birds

He can see his dog

He can feel a spider on his arm

 With a past infinitive: can or could

 What can have happened here ?

He can't have done such a thing !

 He could have fallen !

He could have told me that !

 Exercise: choose the right verb.

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1. She doesn't want to go to the swimming pool because she can notcan'tis able toI don't know swim.

2. We are going to the pictures tonight. Jane cansis ablecanI don't know come with us if she wants to.

3. Excuse me sir, could youcan't youare you able toI don't know please tell me where the railway station is ?

4. I am sure she is able towill canwill be able toI don't know play the piano marvellously when she is older.

5. It is hot in here, could youwill you canare you able toI don't know open the window please?

6. He worked so hard ! He could have passedcan have passedcan passI don't know his exam if he had not missed his train and got there late.

7. Oh Mum ! you have made a cake! I could feelcould smellcan smellI don't know it when I entered the kitchen.

8. That armchair was too heavy for Jim, you could have helpedcould have helpcan have helpedI don't know him.

9. What's the matter with Helen? She didn't say a word tonight; are you sure she canhas been able towill be able toI don't know speak English?

10. When she is older she was able towill be able towill canI don't know drive her father's car.