Modal “can” indicating ability and its negative

This lesson focus only on how we use a modal
can indicating ability and it’s negative.
a. The modal “can” is used with a main verb when we wish to show that someone, an animal or a plant is “able to do something”.

Flowers can make the garden look pretty.

Fruits can give us the vitamins our body needs.

My sister can type very fast.

More examples

My father can play tennis very well.

A camel can live in a hot dessert.

b. The modal “can” may be written in the “negative” by adding “-not” or “-n’t”.

She can not carry the heavy desk.

I do not have a watch so I cannot tell you what time it is.

Mother can’t drive a car.

I can’t speak German.

Practice Exercise:

Fill in each blank with “can” or “cannot”

1. A bird __________swim. It __________fly.
2. The thin boy __________ run very fast. The fat boy __________ run very fast.
3. A snail __________ crawl. It __________ jump.
4. A fish __________ breathe in water. It __________ walk on land.
A monkey __________ fly. It __________ climb trees.