A1 English grammar worksheet
Using can and can't to say what someone is able to do, and what someone is or isn't allowed to do.
12 gap-fill exercises on Can and can't: ability and permission, the first thing most beginners get wrong in English. Answer in the browser and the rule appears with each answer, or print the PDF and work through it on paper.
This A1 sheet is free on the web. The graded set from A2 to C2 lives in the oqou app, where A1 is part of Pro as well.
Practise it here
After each answer you get the rule, written in English. That is deliberate: the sheets are made to be worked through in the language you are learning.
Exercise 1 of 12
My grandmother speak three languages fluently, so she often translates for us.
Choose the word that fills the gap.
A1 English grammar worksheet
Print it
The same worksheet as a print-ready A4 PDF, with the answer key on the last page. Free to use in a classroom, and free to share.
Download the PDFCan and can't: ability and permission
My grandmother ___ speak three languages fluently, so she often translates for us.
I couldn't ride a bike before, but I ___ ride one now, after lots of practice.
Our new colleague is very quick — she ___ learn any new task in a day.
My grandfather is quite old now, and he ___ hear very well anymore.
The signal is too weak here, so my phone ___ connect to the internet.
This box is far too heavy — I ___ lift it on my own.
You ___ borrow my umbrella if you need it — I won't use it today.
In this office, staff ___ bring their own laptops, as long as they keep them locked away at night.
Photography is not allowed, so visitors ___ take pictures inside the museum.
Dogs ___ come into the restaurant — there's a sign on the door that says 'No pets'.
___ I borrow your pen for a minute?
___ your brother swim well?
Answer key
My grandmother can speak three languages fluently, so she often translates for us.
We use can to talk about something a person is able to do.
I couldn't ride a bike before, but I can ride one now, after lots of practice.
We use can for something you are able to do now, even if you could not do it before.
Our new colleague is very quick — she can learn any new task in a day.
We use can to say someone is able to do something easily.
My grandfather is quite old now, and he can't hear very well anymore.
We use can't when someone is not able to do something.
The signal is too weak here, so my phone can't connect to the internet.
We use can't when something is not possible right now.
This box is far too heavy — I can't lift it on my own.
We use can't when something is too difficult to do.
You can borrow my umbrella if you need it — I won't use it today.
We use can when someone is allowed to do something.
In this office, staff can bring their own laptops, as long as they keep them locked away at night.
We use can to say something is allowed, if a rule is followed.
Photography is not allowed, so visitors can't take pictures inside the museum.
We use can't when a rule does not allow something.
Dogs can't come into the restaurant — there's a sign on the door that says 'No pets'.
We use can't when a sign or rule stops people doing something.
Can I borrow your pen for a minute?
We put Can at the start of a question to ask for permission.
Can your brother swim well?
We put Can at the start of a question to ask about ability.
The rest of the English grammar set
The oqou app carries the full graded set, one worksheet per CEFR level, alongside the reading it is meant to support. Grammar practice is part of Pro.
- A2Past simple and past continuous14 exercisesIn the app
- A2Comparatives and superlatives12 exercisesIn the app
- A2Countable and uncountable: some, any, much, many, a few12 exercisesIn the app
- A2Going to and will12 exercisesIn the app
- A2Adverbs of frequency and word order12 exercisesIn the app
- A2Verb + -ing or verb + to-infinitive12 exercisesIn the app
- B1Present perfect and past simple14 exercisesIn the app
- B1Must, have to, should: obligation and advice12 exercisesIn the app
- B1Relative clauses, defining and non-defining12 exercisesIn the app
- B1Reported speech and backshift12 exercisesIn the app
- B1The passive: present and past simple12 exercisesIn the app
- B1Used to and would for past habits12 exercisesIn the app
- B2The three conditionals16 exercisesIn the app
- B2Modals of deduction: must have, might have, can't have12 exercisesIn the app
- B2Wish, if only and the unreal past12 exercisesIn the app
- B2Passive reporting: it is said that, he is thought to12 exercisesIn the app
- B2Future perfect and future continuous12 exercisesIn the app
- B2Concession and contrast: although, despite, whereas, however12 exercisesIn the app
- C1Inversion and fronting for emphasis14 exercisesIn the app
- C1Cleft sentences: it-clefts and wh-clefts12 exercisesIn the app
- C1Reduced and prepositional relative clauses12 exercisesIn the app
- C1Verb patterns that change meaning: stop, remember, go on, regret12 exercisesIn the app
- C1Alternatives to if: unless, provided that, as long as, otherwise12 exercisesIn the app
- C1Hedging and cautious language12 exercisesIn the app
- C2Participle clauses, ellipsis and nominalisation15 exercisesIn the app
- C2The mandative subjunctive and formal that-clauses12 exercisesIn the app
- C2Register: Latinate verb or phrasal verb12 exercisesIn the app
- C2Modality in formal and legal register: shall, be to, may12 exercisesIn the app
- C2Correlative structures: the more... the more, such... that, no sooner... than12 exercisesIn the app
- C2Reporting and distancing: allege, purport, be said to12 exercisesIn the app
Questions about the worksheets
Are these grammar worksheets really free?
Yes. The A1 worksheet for every language is free on this site, both to practise online and to download as a PDF, with no account and no email. You may print them for a class.
Where are the A2, B1 and higher worksheets?
In the oqou app, one worksheet per CEFR level per language, as part of Pro. A1 is free here on the web and part of Pro in the app, which is a deliberate exception rather than an oversight.
Can I use these with my students?
Yes. Print the PDF, hand it out, keep the answer key. A link back to this page is appreciated but not required.