Study problems and fixes: can, can’t and right now
Listen first: a grown-up reads the coach’s talk twice. Then think about two grammar points. First, can and can’t show ability. Use can or can’t with the short verb: I can swim. She can’t ride a bike yet. Can you float? Yes, I can. No, I can’t. Never add s or to after can. Second, the present continuous tells what is happening now: am, is or are plus a verb with -ing. I am reading. He is practising. They are learning. Time words: now, right now, at the moment. Spelling: run becomes running, make becomes making, swim becomes swimming. Present simple is for habits (I swim on Fridays), and present continuous is for now (I am swimming now). Learning is not always easy: I can’t do it yet, but I can try again.
| Grammar | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| can | can + short verb | I can float. |
| can’t | can’t + short verb | He can’t swim yet. |
| now | am / is / are + -ing | They are learning to kick. |
Hello, I am Mr Amr, a swimming coach. I teach children who want to swim well. First I show a movement, and then the children practise it. We review the movement at the start of every lesson, because regularly repeating a skill helps us improve. A good technique is better than a fast arm. Some children cannot float on the first day, but they can float after a few lessons. Every child who keeps trying becomes successful in the end. At the moment I am teaching a new group, and they are learning to kick.
| Question | Short answers |
|---|---|
| Can you float? | Yes, I can. / No, I can’t. |
| Can she dive? | Yes, she can. / No, she can’t. |
| Verb | With -ing |
|---|---|
| run | running |
| make | making |
| swim | swimming |
| write | writing |
Show me! The child mimes an action (reading, running, drawing) and the grown-up asks: What are you doing? The child answers: I am … . Then they swap. After that, each says one thing they can do and one thing they can’t do yet.
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