Module 6: Civility
Summary: Voluntary Work
Key points
- Volunteers give their time and work for free to help others.
- People who need help: the needy, the homeless, disabled people, the elderly, animals, the planet.
- Can + base verb expresses ability; can’t / cannot + base verb expresses inability.
- Be able to / be unable to have the same meaning as can / can’t.
- The sound /uː/ is spelled oo (food), o (do), ew (new), ui / ou (fruit, soup).
Rules to remember
Can / can’t
Same form for all persons, no -s, no to: She can swim. They can’t come. Can you help? – Yes, I can.
Be able to
Used in all tenses: He is able to read Braille. I will be able to donate blood next year.
Past ability
could / couldn’t or was / were able to: I couldn’t come yesterday.
How to do it
- Find the subject.
- Decide: ability (can) or inability (can’t)?
- Put the base verb after can, without to.
Example
Karim is disabled, so he isn’t able to climb the stairs alone, but he can play chess very well.
Common mistakes
- *He cans help* » He can help.
- *I can to swim* » I can swim.
- *I will can* » I will be able to.
Key words
Summary written by سكولار for quick revision: it does not replace the lesson and its exercises.