Modals of Ability/Permission: Can, Could – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are in a job interview. The interviewer is asking about your skills, and you want to show confidence in your abilities. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence.
1 Interviewer: “We need someone for our international support team. ______ you speak Spanish?”
(A) Do
(B) Can
(C) Could
(D) Are
2 Candidate: “Yes, I ______ speak both Spanish and English fluently.”
(A) can to
(B) could
(C) can
(D) am can
3 Candidate: “I have an IT background, so I ______ fix basic computer network problems.”
(A) do can
(B) can
(C) must
(D) cans
4 Candidate: “I ______ type very fast. My record is 80 words per minute.”
(A) could
(B) can
(C) am able
(D) can to
5 Interviewer: “How many programming languages ______ you write in?”
(A) do
(B) have
(C) cans
(D) can
6 Candidate: “I ______ speak Mandarin yet, but I am taking language classes every weekend.”
(A) can’t
(B) don’t can
(C) couldn’t
(D) am not can
7 Interviewer: “Can you use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator?”
Candidate: “I ______, but I learn new software very quickly.”
(A) don’t can
(B) shouldn’t
(C) cannot
(D) haven’t
8 Candidate: “Because I lived in Tokyo for two years, I ______ communicate with Japanese clients easily.”
(A) could
(B) can
(C) am can
(D) do
9 Interviewer: “We often have urgent projects. ______ you work overtime on weekends?”
(A) Can
(B) Do
(C) Must
(D) Could to
10 Candidate: “When I first started working five years ago, I ______ only use Word. Now, I am an expert in all office software.”
(A) could
(B) can
(C) did can
(D) could to
11 Candidate: “I am a great problem solver. I ______ usually find a solution to any customer complaint.”
(A) can to
(B) can
(C) could
(D) am able
12 Candidate: “I have a driver’s license, so I ______ travel to different branch offices if the company needs me to.”
(A) will can
(B) can
(C) could
(D) do can
13 Candidate: “I ______ translate legal documents because I do not have a degree in law.”
(A) can’t
(B) don’t can
(C) shouldn’t
(D) am not can
14 Candidate: “I ______ lead team meetings effectively. I organized them every week at my previous company.”
(A) cans
(B) must
(C) can
(D) could
15 Interviewer: “Are you familiar with data analysis?”
Candidate: “Yes, I ______ analyze complex sales data, and I have a portfolio to prove it.”
(A) am able
(B) could
(C) can
(D) can to
16 Candidate: “At my first job, I ______ present in front of crowds because I was too shy, but now I am very confident.”
(A) can’t
(B) couldn’t
(C) didn’t could
(D) couldn’t to
17 Candidate: “I ______ read and understand technical manuals, which helps me troubleshoot issues fast.”
(A) can
(B) do
(C) could
(D) cans
18 Candidate: “I ______ resolve conflicts within the team without needing the manager’s help.”
(A) can to
(B) am can
(C) can
(D) should
19 Interviewer: “Can you start working immediately?”
Candidate: “I ______, because I need to give a two-week notice to my current employer.”
(A) don’t can
(B) wouldn’t
(C) cannot
(D) couldn’t
20 Candidate: “I ______ assure you that I am the perfect person for this position.”
(A) can
(B) could
(C) must
(D) do can
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Can
- Why it’s right: Used to ask about the candidate’s current ability to perform a task.
- Error Analysis: (A) Do (Common Mistake: using the auxiliary ‘do’ for ability instead of ‘can’). (C) Could (Strong Distractor: polite, but ‘can’ is more direct and appropriate when verifying factual skills). (D) Are (Structural Error).
2 (C) can
- Why it’s right: Confidently affirms a present ability.
- Error Analysis: (A) can to (Structural Error: modal verbs are never followed by ‘to’). (B) could (Strong Distractor: wrong tense, implies a past ability). (D) am can (Structural Error).
3 (B) can
- Why it’s right: States a professional capability in the present.
- Error Analysis: (A) do can (Common Mistake: adding an unnecessary auxiliary verb). (C) must (Meaning Trap: indicates obligation rather than ability). (D) cans (Structural Error: modal verbs never take an ‘-s’).
4 (B) can
- Why it’s right: Asserts current typing speed and skill.
- Error Analysis: (A) could (Strong Distractor: past tense). (C) am able (Common Mistake: missing the preposition ‘to’). (D) can to (Structural Error).
5 (D) can
- Why it’s right: Asking about the quantity of programming languages the candidate is able to use.
- Error Analysis: (A) do (Common Mistake). (B) have (Strong Distractor). (C) cans (Structural Error).
6 (A) can’t
- Why it’s right: Expresses a current lack of ability, which contrasts with the ongoing learning process.
- Error Analysis: (B) don’t can (Common Mistake: forming the negative incorrectly). (C) couldn’t (Strong Distractor: wrong tense, the sentence is about the present). (D) am not can (Structural Error).
7 (C) cannot
- Why it’s right: The formal negative form of ‘can’, suitable for a professional interview.
- Error Analysis: (A) don’t can (Structural Error). (B) shouldn’t (Meaning Trap: means ‘not recommended’, which does not fit the context of inability). (D) haven’t (Common Mistake: answering with the wrong auxiliary).
8 (B) can
- Why it’s right: Emphasizes the present ability/result, even though the cause (“lived in Tokyo”) happened in the past.
- Error Analysis: (A) could (Strong Distractor: tense trap. Students might match “lived” with “could”, but the candidate is stressing their current skill). (C) am can (Structural Error). (D) do (Common Mistake).
9 (A) Can
- Why it’s right: Asking about the candidate’s ability or willingness to perform a task now or in the future.
- Error Analysis: (B) Do (Common Mistake). (C) Must (Meaning Trap: sounds like forcing the candidate rather than asking about their availability). (D) Could to (Structural Error).
10 (A) could
- Why it’s right: Refers to an ability in the past (“When I first started… 5 years ago”).
- Error Analysis: (B) can (Common Mistake: wrong tense). (C) did can (Structural Error: double auxiliary). (D) could to (Structural Error).
11 (B) can
- Why it’s right: Asserts current problem-solving ability.
- Error Analysis: (A) can to (Structural Error). (C) could (Strong Distractor: wrong tense). (D) am able (Common Mistake: missing ‘to’).
12 (B) can
- Why it’s right: Shows the ability to meet potential job requirements.
- Error Analysis: (A) will can (Common Mistake: two modal verbs cannot be combined; it must be “will be able to”). (C) could (Strong Distractor: too tentative; ‘can’ shows more confidence). (D) do can (Structural Error).
13 (A) can’t
- Why it’s right: Honestly admitting a professional limitation in the present.
- Error Analysis: (B) don’t can (Common Mistake). (C) shouldn’t (Meaning Trap: ‘not advised to’ is different from ‘unable to’). (D) am not can (Structural Error).
14 (C) can
- Why it’s right: Asserts present leadership ability based on past experience.
- Error Analysis: (A) cans (Structural Error). (B) must (Meaning Trap). (D) could (Strong Distractor: wrong tense, as the first clause states a present capability).
15 (C) can
- Why it’s right: Direct and confident response regarding analytical skills.
- Error Analysis: (A) am able (Common Mistake: missing ‘to’). (B) could (Strong Distractor: sounds too modest or implies past ability). (D) can to (Structural Error).
16 (B) couldn’t
- Why it’s right: Expresses a lack of ability or confidence in the past (“At my first job”).
- Error Analysis: (A) can’t (Common Mistake: wrong tense). (C) didn’t could (Structural Error: wrong negative formulation). (D) couldn’t to (Structural Error).
17 (A) can
- Why it’s right: Highlights technical reading skills in the present.
- Error Analysis: (B) do (Common Mistake). (C) could (Strong Distractor: wrong tense). (D) cans (Structural Error).
18 (C) can
- Why it’s right: Demonstrates current teamwork and conflict resolution skills.
- Error Analysis: (A) can to (Structural Error). (B) am can (Structural Error). (D) should (Meaning Trap).
19 (C) cannot
- Why it’s right: A polite but clear refusal/inability due to a current schedule conflict.
- Error Analysis: (A) don’t can (Structural Error). (B) wouldn’t (Strong Distractor: means ‘unwilling’ rather than ‘unable’). (D) couldn’t (Common Mistake: wrong tense).
20 (A) can
- Why it’s right: A confident, strong closing statement to reassure the interviewer.
- Error Analysis: (B) could (Strong Distractor: “I could assure” sounds less certain and less impactful than “I can assure”). (C) must (Meaning Trap). (D) do can (Structural Error).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- “Can” for Confidence: In a professional environment, especially during a job interview, when discussing your skills, use “I can + Verb” to assert your current abilities strongly and decisively. It shows confidence.
- “Could” for the Past: Only use “could / couldn’t” when you are talking about an ability you had (or lacked) in the past (e.g., talking about your first job or life right after graduation).
- Beware of “Will can”: You are never allowed to put two modal verbs right next to each other. To express an ability in the future, do not use “will can”; instead, you must switch to “will be able to”.
- Direct Answers: When an interviewer asks “Can you…?”, answer confidently with “Yes, I can” or “I can…”. If you lack the skill, say “I cannot / can’t” followed by a positive explanation (like a willingness to learn). Avoid structural mistakes like “don’t can” or answering with the wrong auxiliary like “haven’t”.