MODALS COULD AND COULDN'T

modal verb could-couldn't

Abilities in the past

AGENDA

4. Grammar and examples

1. Abilities and superpowers

5. Practice

2. Review can and can't

6. Your task

3. Introduce could and couldn't

1. Abilities

• Fly

• see the future

• lift heavy things

• read super fast

Abilities

• climb trees

• use the computer

• walk through walls

• speak English

Abilities

• turn things into ice

• play sports

Tony Stark or Iron Man is part of the Avengers. When he was a child, he could not use the computer, play sports, or climb a tree.He was good at reading. He could read super fast and used this ability and knowledge. He created an iron suit that uses technology to have superpowers. Now he can fly and lift heavy things, but he can't see the future or turn things into ice.

Fill the table

CAN

COULD

CAN'T

COULDN'T

2. Review can and can't

3. modals could and couldn't

4. grammar tip

We use could and couln't to talk about abilities in the past .

Sentence pattern

I + couldn't + run + when I was a baby.

She + could + play soccer + when she was seven.

For questions, change the order of could and the subject.

Could you play chess last year? Yes, I could. Could your dad drive a car when he was young? No, he couldn't. What could you do when you were four?

5. PRACTICE

Quiz Time

Read and choose the answer

I could .............................football when I was five.

b. playing

c. to play

a. play

¡Correcto!

Siguiente

Read and choose the answer

He could............................ when he was four.

b. swim

c. swam

a. swimming

¡Correcto!

Siguiente

Read and choose the answer

Could she.............. before she started school?

c. reading

b. read

a. to read

¡Correcto!

Siguiente

Read and choose the answer

They................play chess when they were young.

a. could

c. could to

b. can

¡Correcto!

Siguiente

Read and choose the answer

We.............. make a cake until our dad helped us.

c. couldn’t

a. weren’t

b. can’t

¡Correcto!

5. practice: Answer the questions orally

Can you play basketball? Could you run fast when you were a child? Can you swim well? Can you play tennis? Could you play many games when you were a child? Can you skate?

• 2. Read and write true or false for these sentences.

When I was a baby I couldn’t do anything, but I learned very fast. I could read when I was four and I could swim when I was five. My parents couldn’t speak English when they were young but now I’m helping them learn!a. She couldn’t do anything when she was a baby. b. She could read when she was two four. c. She could swim when she was four five. d. Her parents couldn’t speak English when they were young. e. She’s helping her brother parents learn English.

6. YOUR TASK

1. Make a list of 5 things you couldn’t do when you were little, and you can now.For example:I couldn't .....................when I was little When I was little I couldn't.................. When I was five I couldn't............

Thank you!