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Em420 04 110429
Em420 04 110429
Definition
As a modal auxiliary verb, can is frequently used to express a person or thing’s ability to do
something. It is also used to express or ask for permission to do something, to describe the
possibility that something can happen, and to issue requests and offers.
Expressing ability
Can is used most often and most literally to express when a person or thing is physically,
mentally, or functionally able to do something. When it is used with not to become negative,
it forms a single word, cannot (contracted as can’t). For example:
“Can do”
In response to a request or an instruction, it is common (especially in American English) to
use the idiomatic phrase “can do.” This usually stands on its own as a minor sentence. For
example:
Speaker A: “I need you to fix this tire when you have a chance.”
Speaker B: “Can do!”
The phrase has become so prolific that it is also often used as a modifier before a noun to
denote an optimistic, confident, and enthusiastic characteristic, as in:
We can also make this phrase negative, but we use the word no at the beginning of the phrase
rather than using the adverb not after can, as we normally would with a modal verb. For
example:
Speaker A: “Is it all right if I get a ride home with you again tonight?”
Speaker B: “Sorry, no can do. I need to head to the airport after work.”
Permission
We often use can to express permission* to do something, especially in questions
(interrogative sentences).
For example:
As a rhetorical device
Sometimes, we use can in this way as a rhetorical device to politely introduce or emphasize
an opinion or sentiment about something, in which case we invert can with the subject. For
instance:
“Can I just say, this has been the most wonderful experience of my life.”
“Can we be clear that our firm will not be involved in such a dubious a plan.”
“And, can I add, profits are expected to stabilize within a month.”
Note that we can accomplish the same thing by using the verbs let or allow instead, as in:
“Let me be clear: this decision is in no way a reflection on the quality of your work.”
“Allow us to say, we were greatly impressed by your performance.”
“You can get help on your papers from your teaching assistant.”
“My mother-in-law can be a bit overbearing at times.”
“People forget that you can get skin cancer from tanning beds.”
“It can seem impossible to overcome the debt from student loans.”
Making requests
It is common to use can to make a request of someone. For example:
“Can you get that book down from the shelf for me?”
“Your sister is a lawyer, right? Can she give me some legal advice?”
“Can you kids turn your music down, please?”
However, this usage can sometimes be considered too direct or forceful, and it may come
across as impolite as a result. In more formal or polite circumstances, we can use other modal
verbs such as could or would to create more polite constructions, as in:
Making offers
While it might be seen as impolite to use can to make a request, it is perfectly polite to use it
to make an offer. For example:
If we want to be even more polite or add formality to the offer, we can use may instead, as in: