Can - Abilities
Read and listen to four conversations using "can" for abilities.
Conversation 1
Woman: What sports can you play?
Man: I can play baseball a bit and I can play tennis pretty well.
Woman: Can you play football?
Man: No, I'm terrible at football. What about you?
Woman: Yeah. I can play football. I like it a lot, but I'm not great.
Man: I bet you are pretty good.
Woman: No, really. I'm not that good.
Conversation 2
Man: What languages can you speak?
Woman: I can speak Japanese and French.
Man: Wow! Can you write in Japanese?
Woman: I can write a little bit, but not that much.
Man: Yeah. I hear Kanji is really difficult.
Woman: Yeah. It's really difficult. What about you? What languages can you speak?
Man: I can speak some Spanish, but not great. I can also speak Thai.
Woman: Wow! Can you write in Thai?
Man: No, but I can read it. Writing is really difficult.
Woman: Still, that's pretty cool!
Conversation 3
Man: So, are you a good cook?
Woman: Not really. But I can cook basic stuff.
Man: Yeah? What can you cook?
Woman: I can make pasta dishes and some French cuisine. What about you?
Man: I can't cook anything. I can only make an omelet.
Woman: That's not too bad. Can you make pancakes?
Man: No, I can't even make that.
Conversation 4
Man: What are you doing tonight?
Woman: I am going to karaoke with friends. Do you want to come?
Man: No, thanks. I can't sing at all.
Woman: Oh, you should come. Singing is fun!
Man: Maybe for you. I hear you can sing really well.
Woman: I can sing a little bit, but I am not great.
Man: That's not what I heard.
Talking about Abilities
- I can play tennis.
- She can speak Italian.
- They can build a computer.
- This dictionary can hold one million words.
- I can't go tonight.
- She cannot speak German.
- I can not get an internet connection.
- My car cannot go very fast.
- Can you speak Japanese well?
- I cannot speak it very well. I can speak it just a little.
- Can you cook?
- No, I cannot cook at all.
- Are you good at sports?
- Yes, I am pretty good at sports.
- Are you a good dancer?
- No, I am not good at all. I am terrible at dancing.
- She is a good singer.
- He is a great dancer.
- I am not a good student.
- I am a poor cook. (not good at cooking)
Gap Fill: Complete the conversation with the correct word!