Can and could are modal auxiliaries used to express ideas such as ability, possibility and permission. They also have some special uses. For example, they are often used with verbs that do not have a continuous form to talk about ongoing states and experiences.
Complete the following sentences with an appropriate word or phrase.
1Look! I ............... Mary coming.
Wrong!
Use "can see" for present visual perception; "Look!" shows that it is happening now.
2Listen! ............... somebody coming up the stairs?
Wrong!
Use "Can you hear" for present auditory perception; "Listen!" shows that it is happening now.
3What did you put in the soup? I ............... something funny.
Wrong!
Use "can taste" when taste means present perception.
4Suddenly I realized I ............... something burning.
Wrong!
Use "could smell" for past perception after realized.
5At that moment, I ............... what she wanted.
Wrong!
Use "knew" because know is not normally used with can or could for this meaning.
6From her expression, I ............... what she wanted.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "guessed" and "could guess" are natural here because the expression showed what she wanted.
7You ............... she is British from her accent.
Wrong!
Use "can tell" to mean recognize something from evidence.
8I ............... what you are talking about.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "can't understand" and "don't understand" are correct for this meaning.
9She is an arrogant woman, but somehow you can't help ............... her.
Wrong!
Use "liking" after can't help when it means cannot avoid doing something.
10I couldn't help ............... what they said.
Wrong!
Use "overhearing" after couldn't help when it means could not avoid doing something.
11I can't help but ............... what she wants.
Wrong!
Use "wonder" in the expression can't help but followed by the base verb.
12I can't help ............... what I should do next.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "but wonder" and "wondering" are correct after can't help in this meaning.
Answers
- Look! I can see Mary coming.
- Listen! Can you hear somebody coming up the stairs?
- What did you put in the soup? I can taste something funny.
- Suddenly I realized I could smell something burning.
- At that moment, I knew what she wanted.
- From her expression, I guessed / could guess what she wanted.
- You can tell she is British from her accent.
- I can’t understand / don’t understand what you are talking about.
- She is an arrogant woman, but somehow you can’t help liking her.
- I couldn’t help overhearing what they said.
- I can’t help but wonder what she wants.
- I can’t help but wonder / wondering what I should do next.