Use of the Modal verb “Can”

Let us learn how to use can. “Can” is a modal verb that is used to indicate the ability to do something. For example, “I can swim” means “I have the ability to swim.” “Can” is also used to ask for permission, as in “Can I borrow your pen?” which is asking for permission to borrow someone’s pen. To use “can,” you would need to conjugate it depending on the subject of the sentence and the tense in which you are using it.

Examples:

• Present Tense:
  • I can swim.
  • You can swim.
  • He/She/It can swim.
  • We can swim.
  • They can swim.
• Past Tense:
  • I could swim.
  • You could swim.
  • He/She/It could swim.
  • We could swim.
  • They could swim.
• Future Tense:
  • I will be able to swim.
  • You will be able to swim.
  • He/She/It will be able to swim.
  • We will be able to swim.
  • They will be able to swim.

How to use the modal verb “can”

The modal verb “can” is used to indicate possibility or the ability to do something. It is often used to ask for or give permission, or to make a request or offer. Examples include:

• “Can you pass me the salt?” (request)
• “I can speak Spanish fluently.” (ability)
• “Can I borrow your pen?” (request)
• “You can’t be serious.” (impossibility)

It’s also used in different tenses. For example:

• Simple Present: “I can swim”
• Simple Past: “I could swim”
• Present Continuous: “I am able to swim”
• Past Continuous: “I was able to swim”
• Present Perfect : “I have been able to swim”
• Past Perfect: “I had been able to swim”
• Future: “I will be able to swim”

As we have seen, the modal verb ‘CAN’ can be be used to talk about various things under different contexts. Please let me know if you have any other question.