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  • Hello, and welcome to today's Grammar Gameshow!

  • I'm your host, Will!

  • If a toucan can cancan,

  • then two toucans can cancan too!

  • And of course, let's not forget Leslie,

  • our all-knowing voice in the sky.

  • Hello, everyone!

  • Tonight we're going to ask you three questions about

  • Can!

  • That tiny modal verb with such a range of meanings!

  • OK! Now, let's meet our contestants!

  • Hello, all. My name is Bill!

  • And contestant number two?

  • It's nice to meet you. I'm Denise!

  • OK, let's get going, and don't forget

  • you can play along at home too.

  • Round one.

  • Can is a modal verb with many uses.

  • I'm going to give you the use

  • and you have to give me an example.

  • Ready?

  • Can for permission.

  • You can sit wherever you like.

  • Correct!

  • Can for a request.

  • Can Dad pick me up from school today?

  • Correct!

  • Can for a possibility.

  • We can't be lost! We've got a map!

  • Correct!

  • Can for an ability.

  • I can hold my breath for two minutes.

  • Correct!

  • Wow!

  • Two minutes, eh?

  • Well, go ahead. Prove it!

  • What?

  • Two minutes you said.

  • If you want any points, you're going to have to prove it.

  • Ready?

  • Go!

  • And now for a surprise bonus question.

  • True or false:

  • 'Can' can be used to talk about

  • typical or common behaviour,

  • just like the present simple.

  • It's not two minutes yet!

  • True.

  • Correct!

  • Use this sentence to give us an example:

  • John is often quite rude.

  • John can be quite rude at times.

  • Correct!

  • It's not two minutes yet!

  • Leslie?

  • Good job!

  • Can and can't are modal verbs

  • meaning they're always followed by an infinitive

  • and don't change to show person or time.

  • They are useful verbs, and can be used to talk about

  • permissions,

  • requests and offers,

  • possibility and impossibility,

  • abilities

  • and typical behaviour.

  • It all depends on the context!

  • Three

  • two

  • one!

  • Well, now that's…

  • two minutes!

  • Well, well done!

  • 40 quarters of a point for you.

  • On to round two.

  • 'Can' is not often used to refer to an action happening

  • at the moment of speaking,

  • but it can be done!

  • Which type of verb when combined with 'can'

  • allows us to talk about certain actions

  • happening at the moment of speaking?

  • I need to sit down.

  • I can see stars.

  • Can you hear ringing?

  • Two very good examples,

  • but I'm still waiting for a verb form.

  • Oh!

  • Verbs of the senses!

  • Leslie?

  • Correct!

  • The sense verbs see, hear, smell, taste and feel,

  • are not usually used in the continuous form

  • when referring to perception.

  • When we want to talk about seeing or hearing

  • at the moment of speaking,

  • we use 'can'.

  • For example,

  • I can see my house from here!

  • That's why we put you there, Leslie.

  • Always seeing, never reaching!

  • It keeps you hungry.

  • Well done, Bill.

  • Have 60 points divided by 60.

  • Let's move on to our third round.

  • And this question is worth a thousand points.

  • So if you get this one, you'll probably win the game!

  • Which word combines with 'can'

  • to produce a verb phrase which means that

  • a person is unable to control themselves

  • even though they want to?

  • Help!

  • No, I'm afraid that's not allowed.

  • No matter what, I can't help.

  • Not 'help'.

  • Can't help!

  • Exactly!

  • Bill?

  • The verb phrase is

  • 'can't help'

  • Excellent!

  • Can you give us an example?

  • I can't help eating the occasional slice of cake.

  • Gosh!

  • I haven't had cake since

  • but that was such a long time ago.

  • Leslie?

  • Well done!

  • The verb phrase 'can't help' means that despite trying,

  • a person is unable to resist doing something.

  • For example,

  • I can't help calling towards my house,

  • even though I know, they can't hear me.

  • You do make a racket Leslie!

  • It's like music to my ears.

  • And that brings us to the end of today's

  • Grammar Gameshow.

  • Let's count out the points.

  • And the winner is

  • Bill!

  • Well done!

  • Here's what you've won!

  • It's a

  • can

  • -dy cane!

  • We'll see you again next week,

  • where you can play for another prize.

  • And Denise,

  • your can-do attitude almost saw you through.

  • Anything to say?

  • Help?

  • Sorry.

  • I can't help.

  • Fire the cannons!

  • It looks like we'll need another contestant.

  • Thanks for joining us.

  • Say goodbye, Leslie.

  • Na shledanou, Leslie.

  • See you next time.

Hello, and welcome to today's Grammar Gameshow!

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