Interviewer: What makes you think you’d be a good
football pundit?
Candidate: Well, I can read the game, I can understand
strategy, I can get into the heads of the players.
Interviewer: I see. Can you spell your own name?
Candidate: Of course.
Interviewer: When can you start?
Statement of Form
Subject + can + base form
Subject + could + base form
Subject + (be) + able to + base form
What students need to know
At lower levels: We use
"can" to talk about general abilities: "I can drive a
tank." "She can sing the blues." It also works for specific situations: "I can make
the 10 o'clock meeting, but not the nine o'clock."