Lesson 46 – CAN and CAN’T

Introduction

If the question “Did you say can or can’t?” sounds familiar, you may be pronouncing can with too
much stress. If you stress can and use the full vowel /ӕ/, a native speaker will probably think you
have said can’t.

 When can occurs inside a sentence, it is stressed and reduced to /kәn/.

Examples: Mary can dance. /’mԐri kәn ‘dӕns/ - I can play the guitar /a I kәn ‘pleI δә gI’tar/

 Stress can at the end of a sentence, or when it is not followed by a verb.

Examples: Before I took piano lessons, I couldn’t swim, but now I can. /bәt ‘na Ʊ aI ‘kӕn/

 Can is also stressed at the end of an affirmative short answer.

Example: Can you write poetry? – Yes, I can. /‘j Ԑs aI ‘kӕn/.

 Can’t is usually stressed and pronounced /kӕnt/

Examples: I can’t /kӕnt/ hear you. Speak louder!

Special Cases

 Can is given secondary stress status in questions. So, the vowel sound /ӕ/ is fully
pronounced, but not prominently stressed.
Examples: Can you stay the night? – Where can we go after class?