1 Choose the correct option.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
She could / can read when she was three years old. Last weekend, he can't / couldn't invite friends to his house because he had an exam on Monday. Grandma could / couldn't drive a car when she got married. She learned a few years later. Sorry, you can't / couldn't come to the concert with us. I've only got two tickets. Olivia can / can't speak Spanish and English, so she has no problem when she's on holiday in London. When she was a teenager, she could / can go to the city centre on her own. Mike isn't in the school concert, because he couldn't / can't play a musical instrument. My mum says that we could / can eat what we want, if it's healthy! I could / couldn't ride a bike when I was five. I learned when I was four years old.
2 Answer the questions. Which of the sentences in exercise 1 are about ... ? 1 present ability ______, ______ 2 past ability ______, ______ 3 present permission ______, ______ 4 past permission ______, ______
3 Complete the sentences with can('t) and could(n't) and a verb in the box. You need to use some verbs more than once. come drive play sing speak stay swim 1 My great grandma was a very good musician. She had a lovely voice, and she could sing beautifully. She ____________ the piano and the violin, too. My great grandpa, however, ____________ at all. His voice was terrible! And he ____________ any musical instruments either. 2 My aunt travels all over Europe on her holidays, and she ____________ French, Italian and German fluently. 3 We ____________ up late when we were doing our exams. We had to go to bed at 9 p.m.! 4 His older sister ____________ a car. She often gives us lifts. He ____________ yet, because he's not old enough. 5 I ____________ when I was younger. In fact, I fell in a river once, and I was very scared of the water. But I had lessons at our local pool recently, and now I ____________ quite well. 6 Sorry, I ____________ shopping this weekend. I don't have any money to spend.
4
Complete the sentences with can, can’t, could, or couldn’t and the correct form of one of the verbs in brackets. 1 2 3 4 5
Mum, _____ I ____ to the party tonight? (have / go) I _____ ______ jeans to school when I was a teenager. I always wore a uniform. (wear / buy) ____ Beth ____ a bike? Yes, she can. (ride / see) ______ you ____ in the pool when you were five? (run / swim) I ______ the piano very well – but I can sing! (play / read)