To talk about past abilities, we can use: could  How good were you? managed to  We use can to say that something is possible or that somebody has the ability to do something. Afterwards, students report back to the class on the best bluffs. Were you able to get in touch with Gary? If their partner replies 'No, I can't', the student moves on to the next 'Can you...?' Divide the students into pairs (A and B) and give each student a corresponding worksheet. a) Can is preferred if we are talking about a general ability: Can you speak French? 'Can you draw a square and a circle at the same time?' How did you manage to complete this task? Tell your group about it. Give each group of three a set of cards, which they shuffle and place face down in a pile on the desk. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins. (more informal) Could I speak to Amy, please? https://www.teach-this.com/esl-essentials, TeachThis Limited, 2301 Bayfield Building, 99 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong. _________ to find a caterer for the event next week? Talk about the following with your group. specific achievements that were difficult. Ten years ago, people ________ smoke right outside the building. Divide the students into pairs (A and B) and give each student a corresponding worksheet. Their partner replies 'Yes, I can' or 'No, I can't' accordingly. (not/can/to swim) Dennis the trumpet after four months. What is something you wished you had learned when you were younger? • Can you speak any foreign languages? Each player receives six cards containing pairs of items. 9. Their partner then makes their guess and the student reveals the answer. Model this activity carefully with a couple of your students to be sure they understand the question and answer forms they should use: (A) Can you ...? In this lesson we’ll look at when we use ‘can’ and when ‘be able to’ is required when talking about ‘ability’. 'What can a penguin and a duck do?' No one thought she had a chance to win the race but somehow she managed to get enough votes and win the election. If the guess is correct, Student A moves onto the next sentence. One day, I will be able to afford a home and a car. It shows what they could do and how well. Make me say “Yes, I can”/Make me say “No, I can’t” Students must ask the teacher questions to which his or her real answer is “Yes, I can”, e.g. 4.0.5 Jane. 3. 9. 8. In this can and can't activity, students play a true or false guessing game about their abilities. As a variation, you can have the students write about their findings first before giving feedback to the class about their partner's abilities. Can / could - test. Give each student a copy of the worksheet. For all other verb forms (infinitive, gerund, present perfect, etc.) Fees & dates; Payment options ; Before you arrive; Policies; FAQs; Contact. ESL Can and Could Game - Listening and Speaking Activity - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 30 minutes In this fun can and could activity, students play a true or false guessing game about past and present abilities. Uses ‘Can’, ‘could’ and ‘be able to’ are all used to describe ability but there are important differences that you should be aware of. Pronunciation 5. Afterwards, the pairs discuss how they would reply to each sentence. Afterwards, students give feedback to the class on their findings. 5. If so, how were you able to handle such a busy schedule? Unfortunately, we ________ meet the deadline. 3. The game proceeds from there. In this lesson, students learn the difference between could, was/were able to, and managed to. Bags are given out to different students and they write down what they think the items are. Next, students complete sentences about the animals with can or can't. In this ability modals verbs worksheet, students learn and practice the modal verbs of ability 'can' and 'can't'. 5. 2. The students then ask and answer questions about their new partner’s former partner using the third person singular, e.g. The students then go around their group finding out about their classmates' past and present abilities by asking questions with 'Can you...?' 'Jack can swim. / Tomorrow night’s a bit difficult. If the person can demonstrate the ability, the student writes their name in the square on the bingo card and then moves on to talk to another person. 4.0.2 Derek. Usage: Possibility. Used to talk about general skills or abilities in the past. Übungen Aufgaben und Lösungen zum Unterschied von can und be able im Englischen zur praktischen Anwendung Can/Could/Be able to - Listening Activity By GioD This is a listening and speaking activity to make students practice the structure of the modal verbs (can could and be able to). I might be able to come. questions to find out if their guesses are right or wrong. ', e.g. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins. Students complete statements on their worksheet with true and false information about their abilities. If their partner replies 'No, I can't' to the first question, the student asks 'Would you like to learn to (swim)?' He learnt to swim at school, etc.' When a classmate answers 'Yes, I can', the student asks them to prove their ability. Below is a preview or the 'Can and Be Able to Present and Past Ability Discussion Questions' lesson plan and is automatically generated from the PDF file. (more polite) What’s the answer? (Note that in the negative form, we can use couldn’t and was/were able to. Give each student a copy of the bingo card. This serves two purposes: not only does it reinforce correct use of English, but it also ensures that students know you’re listening. Divide the students into pairs (A and B) and give each student a corresponding worksheet. Students also think of a brief personal story about each ability to tell a partner. baseball? Afterwards, the students continue the game by trying to complete the entire bingo card with names. Give each group of three a set of cards, which they shuffle and place face down in a pile on the desk. What are some things you couldn’t do 10 years ago that you can do now? Ask your partner or group about what they could or couldn’t do in the past. At times like these, it can be increasingly frustrating for students to not be able to keep up with their classmates, and activities like the ones listed above can be incredibly stressful. You could even have them write their dialogue down on paper and then read it in front of the class to practice speaking and listening. These classroom speaking activities can be done in a variety of ways such as individual tasks, pair works or group activities. They can both swim. Interactive Version - In this can and can't breakout room activity, pairs of students play a true or false game where they talk about their abilities. Your own question: _________________________________________? Even though I woke up a half an hour late, I _________ get to work on time. Students put a tick or cross in the last column on the worksheet, depending on whether their guess was right or wrong. 2. 4. Modal Verbs of Ability ESL Activities, Games and Worksheets, ESL Modal Verbs of Ability Game - Reading, Listening and Speaking Activity - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes, ESL Can and Can't Worksheet - Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking Activity - Elementary (A1-A2) - 20 minutes, ESL Ability Modal Verbs Activity - Reading, Listening and Speaking - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes, ESL Can and Can't Activity - Reading, Writing and Speaking - Elementary (A1-A2) - 35 minutes, ESL Can Can't Worksheet - Reading, Matching and Writing Activity - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes, ESL Can and Can't Activity - Reading, Listening and Speaking - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes, ESL Past and Present Abilities Activity - Reading, Listening and Speaking - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 25 minutes, ESL Ability Modal Verbs Game - Listening and Speaking Activity - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 25 minutes, ESL Modal Verbs of Ability Game - Writing, Listening and Speaking Activity - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 25 minutes, ESL Modal Verbs of Ability Activity - Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 30 minutes, ESL Can and Could Game - Listening and Speaking Activity - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 30 minutes, ESL Can and Can't Activity - Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 30 minutes, ESL Could and Couldn't Activity - Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 25 minutes, ESL Be Able to Game - Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking Activity - Intermediate (A2-B1) - 30 minutes, ESL Be Able to Activity - Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking - Intermediate (A2-B1) - 25 minutes, ESL Can and Could Activity - Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking - Intermediate (A2-B1) - 30 minutes, Joomla module for Social media integration, Joomla Social Comments and Sharing - share and comment on Joomla site to social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedI,Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki. 7 ESL Pair Work Speaking Activities to … Examples: or 'Could you sleep during the day when you were a child?' (can/to pass) When I was five, I . 7. Their partner has the completed sentences on their worksheet. Fangen wir an mit „can“ und „be able to“: Wir benutzen „can“ und „be able to“ wenn jemand fähig ist etwas zu tun oder wenn etwas möglich ist: „You can see the school from our kitchen.“ “I can come and kiss you tomorrow.” Beides ist also möglich. 10. Students then take it in turns to ask about their partner's abilities by asking questions with 'Can you...? Have any of the rules at work changed? We used to have a company shuttle so we ________ take people from the parking lot to the building. The students then repeat the procedure for the other challenges and complete the chart. They hired her because they knew that she could do the job well. Interactive Version - In this 'be able to' breakout room activity, pairs of students work together to complete sentences with forms of 'be able to' and a verb. For example, if the prompt read 'sleep during the day', the student might ask 'Can you sleep during the day?' I have no idea how we ________  get a reservation for tonight on such short notice. Can I go now? When the students have finished, divide them into pairs. Tell your group about a difficult task that you had to work on. Yes, you can. When Student A has completed all the sentences correctly, the students swap roles. Students then ask and answer questions about their left-handed abilities using 'can' and 'can't'. When a student finds someone who answers 'Yes, I can', the student asks the person to demonstrate their ability by performing the task. Can / could - exercise 1. They are able to do the job faster than anyone else. Their partner's task is to listen and ask follow-up questions to help them decide if the student is telling the truth or bluffing. If the students are able to do the task with just their left hand, they write 'Yes, I can' next to the task. Unterschiede zwischen can, could und be able to. All Rights Reserved. Speaking activities are essential for English language speaking classes (obviously!). ): • We can see the lake from our bedroom window. • I can come and see you tomorrow if you like. In this free ability modal verbs activity, students try completing certain tasks with their left hand. Divide the students into groups of up to ten and give each student a card. 3 Modals of Ability in English: Can. I am able to speak two languages. When I was young, I could speak two languages. The students then move around the classroom asking 'Can you...?' 1. The students take it in turns to ask and answer questions about the four people’s past abilities and complete missing information in a chart on their worksheet. Afterwards, the students give feedback to the class on what they found out about their partner, e.g. Chennai can be very warm in summer. 5. Give each student a copy of the worksheet. The students write their classmates' answers on the worksheet using the third-person singular. 1. b) ‘Be able to’ is normally used to refer to ability in the future: I won’t be able … The students write their names next to the first challenge on the worksheet and then take it in turns to try to complete the challenge. When the students are ready, they pair up with someone from the other group. 4. When we talk about a specific occasion when someone didn't have the ability to do something, we can use wasn't/weren't able to, didn't manage to or couldn't. Students put a tick on the back of the card each time a classmate answers 'Yes, I can' or 'Yes, I could'. 4 Modals of Ability Exercises. questions and mark their responses on the worksheet. We use canto: 1. talk about possibility and ability 2. make requests 3. ask for or give permission question. Classroom Speaking Activities. Give each group of three a set of cards. Their partner replies and the student asks suitable follow-up questions from the bottom of the worksheet to gain extra information, e.g. Complete the sentences with “could,” “was/were able to,” or “managed.” / Yes, of course. In some cases, more than one answer is possible. We needed an extra day. 4.0.3 Ryan. Students then go around the classroom asking 'Can you...?' 4.0.4 James. I called our IT help desk and they were able to resolve the issue. 'Can he swim?' How were you able to achieve this? The student with the card then asks follow-up questions to work out if the other students are lying or telling the truth. Have you ever worked on a project with people who constantly disagreed with each other? The student then makes a guess for each student and the correct answers are revealed. Can, can't, could, couldn't - write. Now it’s much more difficult and requires more planning. You can change your ad preferences anytime. 4.0.1 Linda. When everyone has finished, the students sit down in their groups and take it in turns to talk about the information they found out. Think about you last few weeks at work. Divide the class into two groups (A and B) and give each student a corresponding worksheet. Interactive Version - Here is a modal verbs of ability interactive worksheet to help students learn or practice the ability modals: can and can't. Not normally. I told him I was having some difficulties with it, and he told me that he ________ handle it. A collection of English ESL CAN or BE ABLE TO worksheets for home learning, online practice, distance learning and English classes to teach about In the game, students say what ability or skill two things have in common using the modal verb 'can'. Activities; ELC experts; Where to Stay. cards? The students then take it in turns to read out a true or false statement about their ability. Check the answers by asking the five students to perform their abilities to the class. Complete the sentences with “could,” “was/were able to,” or “managed.” We worked until 7 p.m. and ________ finish the project. When everyone has finished, the students form new A and B pairs and write the name of their new partner’s former partner on the worksheet. We worked until 7 p.m. and ________ finish the project. Modal: Might/May/Could. This is a very important activity because it can make a huge difference in students’ confidence when speaking English. Interactive Version - In this ability modals breakout room activity, pairs of students practice forms of 'be able to' and ability modals by playing a true or false game. Everyone thought we wouldn’t meet the deadline, but somehow we ________ to finish everything on time. This is a fun conversation activity that, although they talk in pairs, involves the whole class! Place them in a large bag. I have no idea how they ________ find a better deal than what we offered them. In this 'be able to' activity, students complete sentences with the correct form of 'be able to' and a verb. 3. Exercises - modal verbs. In this fun can and could activity, students play a true or false guessing game about past and present abilities. In this can and could activity, students ask and answer questions about present and past abilities. How did they manage to find a suitable candidate for the position in such short time? question from their worksheet, e.g. Examples: When the students have finished, they complete sentences at the bottom of the worksheet with information about the students' levels of ability. When our company had only 25 employees we _________ have meetings with the entire company. (can/to see) Maybe the Smiths a new house next year. Student A begins by reading the first sentence to Student B, adding in the appropriate form of 'be able to' and the verb. ), he or she lays down a card and directs a question to the third player. / Certainly. (B) Yes, I can. How has this person managed to overcome this adversity? I can play the piano quite well. If not, the game continues. 8. 10. Give each student a copy of the worksheet. The students then take it in turns to talk about an ability and tell a story. Students score one point for each correct guess. But be able to is more formal and is not as common. When the students have finished, they write a summary of what their group can and can't do. Usually the positive answer is: Yes, sure. In this past ability modal verbs activity, students ask and answer questions about four people’s past abilities using could, couldn't and adverbs of degree. For each correct guess, the student scores a point. we should use be able to. If possible, the classmate should also prove their ability by completing the task on the card. Working alone, students guess whether their partner can or can't do the things listed on their worksheet by circling 'can' or 'can't' in each sentence. Phrase practice. The first player to lay down all their cards wins the game. When I was in college, I met a guy who ________ speak seven languages. If not, Student A tries again. Do you think you’d be able to do the same if you were in his/her position? At this time last year, Santiago couldn’t speak English. If their partner replies 'Yes, I can', the student asks their partner to demonstrate the ability if possible. Unfortunately, I woke up half an hour late and I __________  get to work on time. UVic Homestay; UVic dormitories; How to Apply. Give each group of three a copy of the worksheet. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins. Afterwards, students tell the class about their partner, e.g. When the students have finished, they write a paragraph about what they could do at a certain age. Students complete the worksheet with true or false information about their abilities as indicated. He could first do this when he was 5 years old. Give each student a copy of the two-page worksheet. In this can can't speaking activity, students practice talking about skills and levels of ability using modal verbs and adverbs of manner. Ask students to bring in 10 random objects each. Have a discussion at the end about what they could… What are some things that you could do 10 years ago that you can’t do now? Be able to is often similar to can and we may use it instead of can to talk about ability. “Can you speak Spanish?” and “Can you cook English food?” They can then move onto the more amusing variation where they should try to get “No, I can’t” answers with questions like “Can you fly?” and “Can you lift all of us?” The same games can easily be played in pairs … The first player chooses one of their cards, lays it on the table, and directs a question to the second player, e.g. Their partner responds with one of six phrases on the board that express their level of ability and the student ticks the appropriate 1 to 6 box on the worksheet. What was something you wished you could do when you were a child? 'Can you pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time?' a musical instrument? Student A must say the exact sentence that Student B has on their worksheet. I couldn’t have won so I didn’t go in for the race. / No, you can’t.? What are some things you could do when you were younger that you can’t do now? 4. Think about someone you know that has overcome a lot of adversity. Students then put their right hand behind their back and attempt each task on the worksheet in turn. Some can be easy to guess - like a spoon, but make sure some are more difficult to guess, e.g. How so? I delegated that task to Mike. 'Can' and 'Be able to' are known as modal verbs in English. If the second player gives an acceptable answer (e.g. questions from the prompts on the worksheet, e.g. and notes down their partner's answer in the last column. Fill in the blanks with either “could,” “was/were able to” or “managed to” (or their negative forms). Interactive Version - In this can and can't interactive worksheet, students do an exercise to learn the modal verbs of ability 'can' and 'can't'. We use can + infinitive (can do / can see etc. Students then take it in turns to ask their partner a 'Can you...?' When everyone has finished, invite the students to demonstrate their abilities to the class. Can, could, be able to 1. can, could, be able to ability and possibility EF Intermediate 4A 2. Teachers need to be aware of the students’ abilities and personalities as well as the language and grammar they will be presenting. Can, could, be able to. was/were able to  Students continue taking it in turns to ask and answer questions until both worksheets have been completed. Here is a fun can can't activity to help students practice the modal verbs: can and can't. In this 'be able to' activity, students play a true or false game to practice modal verbs of ability and expressions with 'be able to'. a small strangely shaped toy. The students' task is to complete the sentences in bold with the correct form of 'be able to' and a verb. and 'Could you...?' Then you can gently remind the student how to properly use that language. Think about your country. I could have won the race if I tried. We’d say something like: Well, I’m not sure. In this amusing can and can't speaking activity, students try to complete mind-body coordination tasks, body teasers and fun speaking exercises to prove their abilities. 10. If they do this successfully, the student wins. 3. In this insightful can and could activity, students find out about their classmates' past and present abilities. Students put a tick in the 'can' and 'can't' column next to their name, depending on whether they completed the task successfully or not. Their partner then makes their guess and the student reveals the answer. If the students are unable to do the task, they write 'No, I can’t'. Now they have to leave the business park. ALSO READ: FREE WORD GAMES MAKER ONLINE . The other students can either give a true or false answer. We used to have a company shuttle so we ________ take people from the parking lot to the building. In the activity, students try to complete various challenges and fill in a chart to show what members of their group can and can't do. questions in order to find classmates who have the abilities shown on the bingo card, e.g. Students score one point for each correct guess. (can/to build) If you try hard, you your examinations. can – be able to, be allowed to. We usually avoid a direct “No” in the negative answer. This fun ability modal verbs game is based on the card game Crazy Eights. Students begin by matching each animal with a corresponding ability. I can speak two languages. Can / could: English grammar. to be able to: can-could = had the ability to: been able to : She could play the violin when she was three -was able to = managed to : We were able to escape the fire We the mountains yesterday, but today we can't. The worksheet contains information about four people when they were twenty. When talking/writing about past ability you can use ‘could’ or ‘was/were able to’ in order to discuss an ability that existed for a long time, but now no longer exists. Set a time limit of about 15 minutes and then see who got the most names. 1 Modals of Ability in English: Could. Es ist möglich die Schule auszusehen von unserer Küche und jemand ist f� Download Lesson Plan (PDF) 89 KB. 'Why/Why not?' Is there anything you couldn’t do in the past that you can do now? Also make sure that your students understand that they should ask one question per classmate before moving on to another classmate. The game continues until all the cards have been used. basket ball? 'Can you swim?' Used to talk about specific achievements. This way, they’re sure to give the pair work activity their all. 'Can' and 'Be able to' are both used to speak about abilities, and the possibility of doing something. Interactive Version - In this can and could modal verbs breakout room activity, pairs of students practice asking and answering questions about their past and present abilities. Examples: When I was young, I was able to speak two languages. The students are asked to match the pictures with verbs/activities by using 'can'. 2 Modals of Ability in English: Able to. When everyone has finished, the students interview the people in their group and ask questions about their ability to do the tasks. Talk about your biggest professional accomplishment. 6. Jamie might come to the party. However, designing the right speaking activity for a topic is not always an easy task. When Carla quit without giving notice it was difficult for us, but we managed to handle everything. Copyright © 2021 TeachThis Limited. 6. 'I talked to Pam. We use your LinkedIn profile and activity data to personalize ads and to show you more relevant ads. When I first started my career, I could work long hours without a break. When their partner replies 'Yes, I can', the student asks a 'How well can you...?' Used to talk about specific achievements that were difficult. If their partner replies 'Yes, I can', the student finds out when they were first able to do the ability by asking 'When could you first do this?' 9. While it will look close to the original, there may be formatting differences. Can / could - exercise 2. Look at the sentences below. For this example, we could also say “Kathy couldn’t get here on time because of the accident on the highway.”). 8. Look at the sentences below. The students are responsible for finding out the information on their card by speaking to everybody in their group. Sometimes the skills of speaking and listening don’t come so easily to students, due to developmental or processing difficulties. • Can/Could, Verb, Sports and Hobbies This an easy activity which can be done in the classroom or given as homework. 6. 'Can you wiggle your ears?' Tel: +85281207580. When the students have finished, divide them into pairs. If possible, students ask their partner to demonstrate their ability. / No, I can't. Can, could and be able to. She can spell the teacher's full name, but she can’t play the piano, etc.'. This can or can't worksheet activity helps to teach students about modal verbs of ability. Tell the students to imagine that they are in the Leftorium with Ned Flanders from the Simpsons and that they have been given some tasks to do using only their left hand. Do the warm-up activity with your students and then have them complete the practice activity and conversation questions. question. If the answer is not accepted, then the second player is not allowed to lay down a card, but the third player is. If the classmate can complete the task, the student writes their name in the 'Name' column on the worksheet and moves on to speak to someone else. 7. Their partner asks up to three follow-up questions to help them decide whether the student's statement is true or false. The first student to get five names in a row, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally shouts 'bingo' and everyone stops. (can/to play) Kathy wasn’t able to get here on time because of the accident on the highway. Secret Zombie. In this free ability modal verbs game, students play bingo by finding classmates who have certain abilities. Were you able to successfully complete the project? Students take it in turns to ask their partner 'Can you...?' Divide the students into pairs (A and B) and give each student a corresponding worksheet. The scenario is that a virus has attacked the world and everybody is turning … can, could, to be able to, Modalverben - Übungen - kostenlos Englisch Lernen im Internet Students write about their abilities by completing sentences on the worksheet with 'I can' or 'I can't'. Read the text and complete the activity Can, could, be able to, manage to: Meaning and use We use can or be able to when we want to say someone or something … When the students have finished, they take it in turns to find out if their guesses are right or wrong by asking their partner 'Can you...?' The students write all their partner's answers in the appropriate columns on their worksheet. 7. Have you ever had more than one job at the same time? Both “can” and “be able to” are used to express ability. Everyone thought we wouldn’t meet the deadline, but somehow we ________ to finish everything on time. Divide the students into pairs (A and B) and give each student a corresponding worksheet. But the way we use them changes in the past tense. She is able to / can speak six languages. Can is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. After that, students write true sentences about themselves with can or can't using the verbs from the first page. Ability on one occasion – unsuccessful. But can only has present and past forms: can–could. In the last exercise, the students correct mistakes in 'can' and 'can't' sentences and rewrite them. questions, e.g. 'Where did you learn to swim?' 'Can you snap your fingers?' Examples: Could is not usually correct when we're talking about ability at a specific moment in the past. In this free can can't activity, students guess whether a partner can or can't do certain things. Afterwards, students give feedback to the class on the tasks they can and can't do.