E02
core
Speaker stance
Modality
Ability Aura
Can someone do it?
basic
Modal verb
Can
意味
A modal layer expressing skill, capability, learned ability, physical possibility, or practical capacity.
見分け方
Ask whether the sentence says someone is able to do something.
例
単語
can|able|know how to
フレーズ
can swim|able to help|know how to cook
文
She can swim.
Visual guide
Basic shape
Ability layer person + CAN + action She + can + swim = skill / capacity / possibility = action is possible for her
Compare shape
Same meaning, different tools: Modal: can swim Phrase: able to help Know-how: know how to cook Affix/particle: swim-ABLE Construction: possible to swim
言語別ビュー
母語の仕組み
日本語
表れ方
strong
重要度
Ability is often encoded by potential verb forms or できる.
彼女は泳げる。
She can swim.
学習言語では
英語
表れ方
strong
難易度
English expresses ability mainly with can/could and be able to.
I can swim.
can = ability
よくあるつまずき
Learners may add 'to' after modal verbs or confuse can and be able to.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.