We use can't to refuse permission or say that someone does not have permission: We use can to say that someone has permission to do something: We use can to ask for permission to do something:Ĭould is more formal and polite than can: She could have learned Swahili, but she didn't want to. We use could have to say that someone had the ability or opportunity to do something, but did not do it: We use could and couldn't to talk about the past: We use can and can't to talk about the ability to do something at a specific time in the present or future: We use can and can't to talk about someone's skill or general abilities: If Jones was at work until six, he couldn't have done the murder. We use can't have or couldn't have to say that a past event was impossible: (= It was sometimes very cold there in winter.) We use could to make general statements about the past: Where are they? They could have got lost. We use could have to make guesses about the past: We use can't or cannot to say that something is impossible: (= It is sometimes very cold here in winter.) We use can to make general statements about what is possible: We use could to show that something is possible, but not certain: Oliver: No, not really.Level: beginner Possibility and impossibility Imagine, three days in the jungle! I can’t imagine my mum doing that. Trekking in Chiang Mai for three days.Īlfie: Wow – that beats going to college. See you Sunday.Īlfie: Is your mum in Thailand this week?

Listen, ask Daisy to phone me later, OK? The number of the hotel is on the fridge and I’m in room 37. I’m off to Chiang Mai tomorrow to do a three-day trek. Sophie: Not bad, but Thailand’s really hot at this time of year. He thinks chess is a sport! Well, he watches football on the telly sometimes, but he doesn’t play any sports.Īlfie: Mmm. He works in the bookshop all day Saturday and he goes out with his mates from the book club on Saturday evenings.Īlfie: Whoa! Book club? So, he loves old films and books!? Mmm. Do you go out together at the weekends?ĭaisy: That’s just it, it’s tricky. Oliver: Yeah, and they’re not just really old films, Alfie, they watch foreign ones with subtitles too!Īlfie: Well, there’s always the weekend. I mean, I like him a lot, but it’s impossible! During the week I have swimming practice on Mondays, I do taekwondo on Tuesdays and tennis on Thursdays.Īlfie: Do you see him on Wednesdays, then?ĭaisy: No, he watches black and white films at his cinema club on Wednesdays.

Present simple modal verbs exercises