Unit 3 - Modal Verbs - Can/Can't, Have/Have Got
Modal Verbs - Can/Can't, Have/Have Got
Unit 3 - Modal Verbs - Can/Can't, Have/Have Got
1.
Can you play the piano?
Yes, a little. How about you?
No I can't, but I
can play the guitar.
-----
2.
Can you cook?
Not really. I can make toast and pasta, that's all.
Everyone can make toast!
Well, can you cook?
Yes, I can. I can cook delicious fish and chicken.
Wow, that's great.
-----
3.
So what can you do?
I can draw, and I can paint really well too. I can also speak English and Korean. How about you?
I can play chess and I can write computer programs. I can also speak English and Spanish.
Excellent!
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Key Vocabulary
|
can |
draw |
Grammar
1. CanCan is a kind of
auixiliary verb called a modal verb. Modal verbs
express a particular character or mood of a
verb.
Ability
Can is often used to show ability. For example: "We can speak English", or "He can sing well."
Here are the Simple
Present forms of can for ability.
|
Statements I can play
the piano. Negatives I cannot play
the piano. |
Questions Can you play
the piano? |
Contractions
Cannot and can't
are the same: eg.
- I cannot cook well.
- I can't cook well.
Can't is much more common in spoken English.
Permission
Can is also used
to show permission. For example: "You can
go home after class". Here are the Simple
Present forms of can for permission.
|
Statements You can meet
her tommorrow. - (You have permission
to meet her). She can't come to our house. - (She doesn't have permisson to visit us). |
Questions Can we go to the movies? - (Please give us permission to watch a movie). |
Grammar Exercises
Exercise 1
Add can or can't to the following sentences.
Example: You can speak English.
1. Monkeys talk.
2. Pigs fly.
3. I play the piano., but Cory can't.
4. You go on vacation. It's too expensive.
5. I borrow some money?
6. I don't know the answer. you tell me?
7. Tony come tonight, he's too busy.
8. Jim makes great food. He cook really well.
9. Excuse me, we see the movie.
10. It's too noisy. We study well.
Answers
1. = "can't";2. = "can't";
3. = "can";
4. = "can't";
5. = "Can";
6. = "Can";
7. = "can't";
8. = "can";
9. = "can't";
10. = "can't";
Exercise 2
Unscramble the following sentences.
Example: speak can you English. - You can speak English.
1. you can play the violin?
2. draw they can't well.
3. play I basketball can.
4. we can come house to your?
5. she sleep can't
6. you cook can?
7. watch can television I?
Answers
1. = "Can you play the violin?";2. = "They can't draw well.";
3. = "I can play basketball.";
4. = "Can we come to your house?";
5. = "She can't sleep.";
6. = "Can you cook?";
7. = "Can I watch television?";
Exercise 3
1. you play the piano?
Yes, a little. How about you?
No I 2., but I 3. play the guitar.
1. you cook?
Not really. I 2. make toast and pasta, that's all.
Everyone 3. make toast!
Well, 4. you cook?
Yes, I 5.. I 6. cook delicious fish and chicken.
Wow, that's great.
So what 1. you do?
I 2., and I 3. paint really well too. I 4. English and Korean. How about you?
I 5.chess and I 6. write computer programs. I 7. also speak English and Spanish.
Excellent!
Answers
1. = "can";2. = "can't";
3. = "can";
4. = "can";
5. = "can";
6. = "can";
7. = "can";
8. = "can";
9. = "can";
10. = "can draw";
11. = "can";
12. = "can";
13. = "can also speak";
14. = "can play";
15. = "can";
Listen to the Answers
Have/Have Got
1.
What do your friends look like?
Greg's got brown hair, glasses and he's really tall. Cindy's got blond hair, blue eyes and she's slim.
Let's meet them
together!
-----
2.
I've got a new apartment.
That's great! What's it like?
Well, it's got two bedrooms, a big living room and a bathroom.
Has it got a nice view?
Sure, you can see the ocean from my window.
That's excellent.
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Key Vocabulary
|
have |
blue |
Grammar
1. Have - have got"Have" and "have got" are both used to show possession. For example: "I have a pen", and "I have got a pen" have the same meaning. Here are the main points when choosing which one to use.
Have
The Simple Present forms of have are as follows.
|
Singular Affirmative I have a pen
Negative I do not have
a pen = I don't have a pen Questions Do I have a
pen? |
Plural Affirmative We have a pen Negative We do not have
a pen = We don't have a pen Questions Do we have
a pen?
|
You make questions
with have as normal by using the auxiliary
verb "to do". For example:
- Statement: You have a pen.
- Question: Do you have a pen?
- Have you a pen? This is generally incorrect,
although occasionally found in British English.
The verb have
is often contracted in English, but when
have is used for possession you cannot
use a contraction, you should use have got
instead (see below). For example:
- I've a pen, He's a pen. These
are incorrect.
Do not and does not can of course
still be contracted to don't and doesn't. For
example:
- He doesn't have a pen = He does not have a
pen.
The Simple Present forms of have got are as follows.
Have got
|
Singular Affirmative I have got
a pen = I've got a pen Negative I have not
got a pen = I haven't got a pen Questions Have I got
a pen? |
Plural
We have got
a pen = We've got a pen
We have not
got a pen = We haven't got a pen
Have we got
a pen?
|
Affirmative statements
can contract have got, for example:
- I have got some food = I've got some food.
- He has got some food = He's got some food.
Negatives contract as follows:
- I haven't got any food = I have not got any
food.
- She hasn't got any food = She has not got
any food.
-----
Have got is a slightly unusual form because it is a perfect tense form, something which we haven't learnt yet and which will be covered later. Also, remember that the verb have is used in many ways, but the above is only for its use for possession. The lists above may seem rather laborious, but you will quickly learn to use these verbs when you apply them to some real English usage.
Grammar Exercises
Exercise 1
Add have, has or got to the following sentences.
Example: I've got some books.
1. They some fruit.
2. He's lots of friends.
3. I'm busy, I got a lot of time.
4. This apartment is great, it's a lot of space.
5. What have you ?
6. Do you a pen?
7. Have you a pencil?
8. We got any juice.
9. They
don't
much money, but they've
a lot of happiness.
Answers
1. = "have";2. = "got";
3. = "haven't";
4. = "got";
5. = "got";
6. = "have";
7. = "got";
8. = "haven't";
9. = "have";
10. = "got";
Exercise 2
Unscramble these sentences.
Example: got I've books some - I've got some books.
1. have do you dictionary a?
2. have got an you eraser?
3. we've a computer new got
4. Italy got many buildings old has
5. lots of hotels nice Greece has
6. a car hasn't she got
7. problems he doesn't any have
8. time lots of got we've
Answers
1. = "Do you have a dictionary?";2. = "Have you got an eraser?";
3. = "We've got a new computer.";
4. = "Italy has got many old buildings.";
5. = "Italy has got many old buildings.";
6. = "She hasn't got a car.";
7. = "He doesn't have any problems.";
8. = "We've got lots of time.";
Exercise 3
What do your friends look like?
Greg's 1. brown hair, glasses and he's really tall. Cindy's 2. blond hair, blue eyes and she's slim.
Let's meet them together!
1. a new apartment.
That's great! What's it like?
Well, 2. two bedrooms, a big living room and a bathroom.
3. a nice view?
Sure, you can see the ocean from my window.
That's excellent.
Answers
1. = "got";2. = "got";
3. = "I've got";
4. = "it's got";
5. = "Has it got";