can (ability) Degrees of ability

1 Find and correct the mistake in each sentence. 4 Reorder the words to make sentences.
He can swims. swim ski / can’t / very well / I
1 We cant dance. I can’t ski very well.
2 She cans play guitar. 1 swim / can’t / those girls / very well
3 He can speaks Japanese.
4 You canno’t ski. 2 play / very well / my dad / can / baseball
5 I to can do karate.
3 well / do karate / can / my cousin
2 Rewrite the sentences with can’t.
You cannot sing. 4 can / Melissa / quite well / ski
You can’t sing.
1 He cannot do gymnastics. 5 can’t / I / at all / sing

2 I cannot play the piano.

5 Write sentences using can or can’t and the
3 My dad cannot play basketball. words in the box.
✓✓✓ very well ✓✓ well ✓ quite
4 Your brother cannot speak English. well
✗not very well ✗✗not at all
5 Billy and Ted cannot swim.
I / play the guitar (✗)
I can’t play the guitar very well.
3 Complete the sentences with can (✓) or can’t (✗). 1 We / dance (✓)
We can’t do gymnastics. (✗)
1I play soccer. (✓) 2 My grandma / use a cell phone (✗✗)
2 These boys sing. (✗)
3 My brother cook. (✓) 3 Josie / speak Spanish (✗)
4 You do karate. (✗)
5 My mom dance. (✓) 4 You / ski (✓✓✓)

5 Those children / swim (✓✓)

Starter Printable © Oxford University Press 2015

can (ability) Imperatives
yes / no questions and short answers 8 Complete the sentences with affirmative (✓)
6 Complete the short answers. or negative (✗) imperatives. Use the verbs
in the box.
“Can your grandpa use a computer?”
“No, he can’t .” be play read use watch wear
1 “Can your hamster talk?”
“No, .” Read that book! It’s fantastic.
2 “Can you cook?” 1 that laptop! It isn’t yours!
“No, .” 2 soccer in the hall!
3 “Can your brothers drive?” 3 quiet! The baby is in bed.
“Yes, .” 4 that movie! It’s terrible.
4 “Can your mom do gymnastics?” 5 your jacket. It’s winter!
“No, .”
5 “Can you and your sister dance?”
“Yes, .”

7 Write questions with can and affirmative (✓) or

negative (✗) short answers.
you / speak Spanish? (✗)
Can you speak Spanish? No, I can’t.
1 your brother / play basketball? (✗)

2 your sister / ride a horse? (✓)

3 your friends / cook? (✓)

4 your grandparents / play computer games? (✗)

5 you / stand on your head? (✓)

Starter Printable © Oxford University Press 2015