Modality A1 A2

Ability and permission: can, could, may, and be able to

Express present, past, and general ability and ask or give permission with can, could, may, and be able to.

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Guia visual

Ability or permission? Choose the job first

Choose the job first:

                 can / could / may / be able to
                           │
             ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐
             │                           │
        ABILITY                      PERMISSION
     “I have the skill”              “Is it allowed?”
             │                           │
   can + base verb              Can/Could/May I + base verb?
   be able to + base verb       can/may = give permission
             │                           │
   She can drive.               Can I sit here?
   She was able to find         May I see your passport?
   the address.

Base verb = plain verb:
   She can swim.
   ✗ She can to swim.

First choose the job: ability or permission. Then use the helper before the base verb, with no “to” after can/could/may.

Introduction

Ability and permission

English uses modal verbs to show what is possible in a person's situation. In this lesson, ability means a skill, power, time, or chance to do something. Permission means someone says that something is OK. Can is the most common word for both jobs in everyday English. Could helps with past ability and polite permission. May is more formal permission. Be able to is the flexible form when can does not fit, especially with future forms, infinitives, and some past successes.

Core Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

I can use this app.

Can expresses present ability in a simple everyday sentence.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

can use

modal_ability_frame

Can before a base verb expresses present ability or possibility.

Aprende como uma unidade

this app

object

The thing the speaker is able to use.

Question Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

Can I sit here?

Can I...? is the most common neutral way to ask permission.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

Can I sit here

permission_question_frame

Can I...? asks for permission in everyday English.

Aprende como uma unidade

Core logic

One word, two jobs

The same form can has two main jobs. For ability, the subject has the skill, strength, time, or chance to do something: She can drive. For permission, another person, rule, or situation opens the door: You can leave now. Context usually tells you the meaning. If the sentence is about a person's skill or practical possibility, hear ability. If it is about rules, asking, allowing, or refusing, hear permission. The basic logic is not the word alone; it is the word plus the situation.

Core Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

She can drive.

Context makes can mean ability here.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

She can drive

subject_modal_verb

The person has the skill or ability.

Aprende como uma unidade

Core Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

You can leave now.

Context makes can mean permission here.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

You can leave now

permission_statement

Can gives permission to do something.

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Core pattern

Modal + base verb

Use can, could, or may before the base verb. They do not change for he, she, or it. In statements, use subject + modal + base verb, as in He can speak English. In questions, move the modal before the subject: Can we open the window? In negatives, add not after the modal: cannot, can't, could not, couldn't, may not. We can't park here. Can't is normal in speech and everyday writing; cannot is the full form and can sound stronger or more formal.

Core Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

He can speak English.

Can does not change after he, she, or it.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

can speak

modal_base_verb

Can is followed by the base verb, not to speak or speaks.

Aprende como uma unidade

English

object

The language the person can speak.

Question Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

Can we open the window?

Can questions use can + subject + base verb.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

Can we open

modal_question_frame

Move can before the subject to make a question.

Aprende como uma unidade

the window

object

The thing the speakers want to open.

Negative Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

We can't park here.

Can't is the common negative form of can.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

can't park here

negative_permission

Can't shows that permission or possibility is blocked.

Aprende como uma unidade

Form variations

The flexible form: be able to

Be able to means 'have the ability or chance to do something.' It changes with tense and works after to. Use am/is/are able to for present, was/were able to for past, and will be able to for future. I am able to work tonight. She was able to find the address. We won't be able to come. After want, need, hope, or another structure with to, use to be able to: I want to be able to read this. In everyday present ability, can is usually shorter and more natural.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

I am able to work tonight.

Be able to can describe present ability, though can is often shorter.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

am able to work

be_able_present

Am able to expresses present ability or availability.

Aprende como uma unidade

tonight

time

The time when the ability or availability exists.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulário A2 Neutral

She was able to find the address.

Was able to works for past ability or a successful past action.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

was able to find

be_able_past

Was able to often shows success in one past situation.

Aprende como uma unidade

the address

object

What she succeeded in finding.

Negative Gramática A2 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

We won't be able to come.

Use will be able to, not will can, for future ability.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

won't be able to come

future_negative_ability

Will not be able to is the normal future negative form because will can is not possible.

Aprende como uma unidade

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

I want to be able to read this.

To be able to works after verbs that need to.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

want to be able to read

infinitive_ability

After want to, use be able to, not can.

Aprende como uma unidade

this

object

What the speaker wants to read.

Contrast

Past ability: could or was able to?

Could and was/were able to overlap, but they are not always the same. Use could for general ability in the past, especially skills or repeated situations: When I was six, I could read. For one successful action in the past, use was/were able to more often: After an hour, we were able to start the car. In negatives, couldn't can describe general inability or one failed action: I couldn't hear the teacher. This contrast is one of the most common boundaries for past ability.

Contrast Gramática A2 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

When I was six, I could read.

Could is natural for a past skill or repeated ability.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

could read

past_general_ability

Could expresses a general ability in the past.

Aprende como uma unidade

When I was six

past_time_context

The time period when the ability existed.

Contrast Gramática A2 Vocabulário A2 Neutral

After an hour, we were able to start the car.

For one successful past action, was/were able to is usually clearer than could.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

were able to start

single_past_success

Were able to shows success in one past situation.

Aprende como uma unidade

After an hour

time_after_effort

The effort or time before the success.

the car

object

What they succeeded in starting.

Negative Gramática A2 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

I couldn't hear the teacher.

Couldn't is flexible in past negative sentences.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

couldn't hear

past_negative_ability

Couldn't can describe general past inability or failure in one situation.

Aprende como uma unidade

the teacher

object

The person the speaker could not hear.

Usage rules

Asking and giving permission

For permission, choose the form by situation. Can I...? is direct and common in daily life: Can I borrow your pen? Could I...? is softer and more polite: Could I ask a question? Here could is not past; it adds distance and politeness. May I...? is formal and common in official or careful speech: May I see your passport? To refuse permission, use can't or may not; may not sounds formal or like a rule: You may not enter. To give permission, can is common; may sounds more formal.

Question Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

Can I borrow your pen?

Can I...? is normal for everyday permission.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

Can I borrow

neutral_permission_question

Can I...? is a common neutral permission frame.

Aprende como uma unidade

your pen

object

The thing the speaker wants permission to use.

Question Gramática A2 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

Could I ask a question?

Could is not past here; it makes the request more polite.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

Could I ask

polite_permission_question

Could I...? is a softer, more polite permission frame.

Aprende como uma unidade

a question

object

What the speaker wants permission to ask.

Formal Gramática A2 Vocabulário A2 Formal

May I see your passport?

May I...? is more formal than Can I...?

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

May I see

formal_permission_question

May I...? is a formal permission frame.

Aprende como uma unidade

your passport

object

The document the speaker asks to see.

Formal Gramática A2 Vocabulário A1 Formal

You may not enter.

May not is common in formal rules and notices.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

may not enter

formal_refusal

May not refuses permission in a formal rule.

Aprende como uma unidade

Danger zone

Common form mistakes

Do not add to after a modal. Not She can to swim; say She can swim. Do not add -s to a modal. Not He cans cook; say He can cook. Do not use can after will or after to. Not I will can come; say I will be able to come. Also avoid stacking can and able together; choose can or be able to, not both. In questions, do not use do with can: say Can you come?, not Do you can come?

Mistake Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

She can to swim.

After can, do not use to before the main verb.

Corrected Gramática A1 Vocabulário A1 Neutral

She can swim.

The correct form is can + base verb.

Blocos de sentido

Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.

can swim

correct_modal_base_verb

Can is followed directly by the base verb.

Aprende como uma unidade

Summary

Quick choice map

Choose by job and time. For present or general ability, use can. For inability, use can't or cannot. For general past ability, use could; for a single past success, often use was/were able to. For future ability or after another to-form, use be able to. For permission, can is neutral, could is polite, and may is formal. Always put a base verb after can, could, and may. Remember that the modal can shows either ability or permission depending on context.

Aprendizagem

Ferramentas

Explorar

Empresa & Apoio

Ability and permission: can, could, may, and be able to

Ability or permission? Choose the job first

Ability and permission

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

One word, two jobs

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Modal + base verb

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

The flexible form: be able to

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Past ability: could or was able to?

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Asking and giving permission

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Blocos de sentido

Common form mistakes

Blocos de sentido

Quick choice map

Aprendizagem

Ferramentas

Recursos

Empresa

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