The negative form of can is can’t. Not: I don’can fresh cabbage be frozen can believe you said that! The subject and can change position to form questions.

Not: Does this can really be true? I take Daisy for a walk? You have to have permission in advance. It’s not always difficult for everyone, but in general it is difficult. We don’t normally use could to talk about what we believe to be true in the present. I believe this is a general truth or fact. I see this only as a possibility.

I believe this is a general truth or fact based on my experience or knowledge. Rome in June because both of us have a week off work. It is possible for us to go to Rome because we don’t have to work in June. I don’t think it’s possible that you are on a diet because you still buy lots of chocolate. When we want to guess or predict something, we use can’t as the negative form of must. A uses must to guess that the coat belongs to B. He sees this as a strong possibility.

B uses can’t to express strong negative possibility. The coat is too big, so it isn’t his. He doesn’t even own a house. A makes a deduction that Roy has made a lot of money. B sees this as very unlikely and so expresses it as a negative possibility. Now we have to go to the big supermarket for everything. We use could, not can, to talk about ability in the past.

Present perfect simple or present perfect continuous? Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. Amount of, number of or quantity of? Different from, different to or different than? Finally, at last, lastly or in the end? In the way or on the way? Other, others, the other or another?