E02
core
Speaker stance
Modality
Ability Aura
Can someone do it?
basic
Modal verb
Can
Betekenis
A modal layer expressing skill, capability, learned ability, physical possibility, or practical capacity.
Zo herken je het
Ask whether the sentence says someone is able to do something.
Voorbeelden
Woorden
can|able|know how to
Zinnen
can swim|able to help|know how to cook
Voorbeeldzin
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
Taaloverzicht
In je moedertaal
Nederlands
Aanwezigheid
strong
Belang
Ability is mainly expressed with kunnen plus an infinitive, often final in the clause.
Ik kan zwemmen.
I can swim.
In de taal die je leert
Engels
Aanwezigheid
strong
Moeilijkheidsgraad
English expresses ability mainly with can/could and be able to.
I can swim.
can = ability
Veelvoorkomend struikelpunt
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.