Expressing Ability/Inability UNIT

Objectives

) On Completion of this unit you will be able to −

• express ability and inability by using 'can' and 'cannot (can't)'
• substitute 'am/is/are + able to' with 'can' and 'am/is/are + unable to' with 'can't'
• make questions with 'can' and 'can't'

Overview
LESSON 1 : Moni

LESSON 2 : Mukta

LESSON 3 : Heera

LESSON 4 : Revision and Test

ANSWER KEY
SSC Programme

Moni LESSON

A
Look at the picture and try to answer these questions orally.
1 Who is this girl?
2 Where is she going?
3 How is she going there?

B
Read Moni's Story.

Moni

Unit-4 Page-56
 English One

I'm Moni. I'm a school girl. I'm a student in class 6. My school is a long
way from home, about 2 kilometers. I go to school on foot. I can walk a
long way and I don't get tired. I can do a lot more things.
I can skip with a rope for twenty minutes without a break. I can draw
beautiful pictures, but I can't paint them. My sister, Mukta can. So she
paints all my pictures. I can sing and my brother, Heera can play the 'tabla'.
He can play the flute too, but he can't play the siter. My father can, but he
can't find time for it. He's a busy man. My mother can cook well, but she
can't sing like me. We're a happy family, and we all love music.

) Read and note.

I'm
don't
:
:
I am
do not
can't : cannot
he's : he is
we're : we are
on foot : walking
I can do a lot more things : I can do many things
rope : skipping rope
without a break : without stopping
tabla : a musical instrument used for keeping rhythm,
Zejv
flute : euvwk
sitar : a musical instrument with strings
play : evRvb eg I can play the guitar
find time : get/manage time
D
True or false? If false, give the correct information.
1 Moni's school is 5 kilometers from home.
2 She can walk a long distance without getting tired.
3 She can draw and paint beautiful pictures.
4 Mukta can paint pictures.
5 Heera can play the flute and the sitar.
6 Her mother cannot sing.
E
Read B carefully and answer the questions first orally and then in
writing.
1 How long can Moni skip with a rope?
2 What is Moni's sister's name?
3 How does she help Moni?
4 What can Moni's father play?
5 What can't Moni's mother do?

Expressing Ability/Inability Page-57

SSC Programme

F
Read these sentences carefully.
1 Moni can skip with a rope for twenty 1 She can't paint pictures.
minutes.
2 Arif can ride a bicycle. 2 He can't drive a car.
3 Zareen can write a letter. 3 She can't post it.
4 Zeeshan can read English. 4 He can't read Arabic.
Now read these questions and answers :
Questions Answers
1 Can he speak Arabic? 1 Yes, he can/No, he can't.
2 Can she write a letter? 2 Yes, she can/No, she can't.
3 Can they play tennis? 3 Yes, they can/No, they
can't.
Notice the use of 'can' at the beginning of a question. Answers
generally end with 'can' or 'can't'.
G1
Read B again and make a list of things the following people can do, and
can't do :
Name can do can't do
Moni can walk a long way can't paint pictures
Mukta
Heera
Father
Mother

G2
Make questions for the following answers :
1 Mina can read the newspaper.
Question : Can Mina read the newspaper?
2 Mina can make her own dress.
3 He can drive a long way.
4 They can jump over the wall.
5 She can type very fast.

G3
Now make a list of things you can do and things you can't do.
Example :
1 I can make my bed, but I can't make a cup of tea.
2

Unit-4 Page-58
 English One

Expressing Ability/Inability Page-59

SSC Programme

Mukta LESSON
A
Look at the picture and answer these questions orally.
1 What is the girl doing?
2 The girl has read something very interesting in the newspaper. What
do you think it is?

; Read Mukta's story in section C and answer these questions with a tick
mark (9).
1 Mukta was reading
a) the sports news.
b) the political news.
c) an announcement in the newspaper.
2 Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has organised a
a) painting competition.
b) magic competition.
c) musical competition.
3 'Juniors' means between the age of
a) 11 and 13.
b) 13 and 19.
c) 14 and 20.

Unit-4 Page-60
 English One

4 Mukta's teacher thinks her painting is

a) good.
b) fair.
c) satisfactory.
5 Mukta entered the competition and won the
a) consolation prize.
b) first prize.
c) second prize.

C
Read Mukta's story.
MUKTA
Mukta was reading an announcement in the newspaper. It says :

PAINTING COMPETITION FOR

JUNIORS
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has organised a
painting competition for juniors, between the age of
13 and 19 to celebrate the Bengali new century -
1400. The competition will be held on May 3, 1994
at the Academy premises at 10 am.
If you can draw and paint, come and enter the
competition.

Mukta jumped with excitement. She told her mother, "Mother, look here.
There's a painting competition for juniors at the Shilpakala Academy. Can I
go in for it?" Her mother replied with a question : "Can you draw pictures
well enough for the competition?"
Mukta : Yes mother, I can draw and paint good pictures.
Mother : That's good. What sort of pictures can you draw?
Mukta : I can draw things like a village hat, a school at break, city life, a
zoo, etc.
Mother : But you haven't shown me any of your pictures. Can you get
some for me?
Mukta : Yes, I can. (After a few minutes she comes back with some of
her pictures.) Here they are.
Mother : Hmm! That's good! . . . Ah, this is beautiful!
Mukta : My teacher says my painting is very good. So, can I enter the
competition, please?
Mother : Yes, you can. Good luck!
Mukta : Thanks, mum.
Mukta joined the competition and won first prize.

Expressing Ability/Inability Page-61

SSC Programme

D
) Read and note.
announcement
celebrate
:
:
informing others about a certain decision; ÜNvlYv
to observe; cvjb Kiv
premises : AvwObv
good enough : quite good
sort of : kind of
hat : nvU| M÷vgv¬áj mflván GK/`yB w`b eám|
school at break : school during lunch/tiffin period
good luck : when we say 'good luck' to someone, we hope that
he/she will be successful.
E
Answer the following questions first orally and then in writing.
1 What was Mukta excited about?
2 Why did the Shilpakala Academy organise the painting competition?
3 When & where will the competition be held?
4 What sort of pictures can Mukta draw and paint?
5 What does Mukta's teacher say about her paintings?

) Read these
can't.
Statement :
sentences carefully. Notice how questions are made with

Zareen can write with a pen, but Zeeshan can't.

Question : Can't Zeeshan write with a pen?
Statement : Asif can ride a bicycle, but can't swim.
Question : Can't Asif swim?

Now make questions from each of the following statements :

1 Jamal can fly kites, but he can't make one.
2 Maneez can speak Arabic, but he can't speak English.
3 Seema can recite poems, but she can't write them.
4 Bats can see at night, but they can't see in the daylight.
5 Ayesha can cook curry, but she can't cook biriyani.
6 Birds can fly, but they can't swim.
7 Salam can play football, but he can't play chess.
8 Rahima can sew her own dress, but she can't knit a sweater.

G
Now write ten sentences about yourself and your family following the
pattern in section F.

Unit-4 Page-62
 English One

Heera LESSON

A
Look at the picture and try to answer these questions orally.
1 What is the boy on the stage doing?
2 What else do you think he can play?

B
Read Heera's story.
HEERA
Heera is a student in class 9. He studies science and is good at it. He can
make a lot of things with pieces of magnet, wire, wood and nails. Last year
at the Science Fair he made a Burglar Alarm. It was meant to keep away
burglars. It was cheap and very useful. Everybody liked it very much.
This year at the annual cultural competition at school he played the flute.
Everybody enjoyed it and he won the first prize. His classmates
congratulated him for his brilliant performance.
Matin : Congratulations, Heera. Your performance was excellent. How
can you play the flute so well?
Heera : I've got a very good teacher. Also because I practise for at least
an hour everyday.
Samad : Can you play any other instruments?
Heera : Yes, I can. I can play the 'tabla' very well, and the sitar a little bit.
Samad : I want to learn the flute. Can you help me? My uncle has brought
me one from the village hat.

Expressing Ability/Inability Page-63

SSC Programme

Heera : Yes, I can. Come and see me when you're free.

Unit-4 Page-64
 English One

) Read and note.

magnet : Pz§^K
wire : Zvi
wood : KvV
nails : ÜcáiK
burglar alarm : an instrument with an alarm meant to inform people of
a thief in the house.
cheap : not very expensive.
annual : yearly.
cultural : of the culture of a country, its songs, music, poetry,
etc.
enjoyed it : got pleasure from it.
congratulated him : thanked him for his success.
excellent : very, very good.
instruments : musical instruments.
D
Read B again and write 5 correct statements about Heera from the table
given below. The first one is done for you :
a lot of things
can play the tabla very well
Heera can't make a Burglar Alarm
sing the sitar very well
like Moni.
1 Heera can make a lot of things.
2
3
4
5

E
Now read B again and answer the following questions first orally and
then in writing.
1 Which class is Heera in?
2 What is he good at?
3 What does he need to make different things for the Science Fair?
4 What happened at the annual cultural competition this year?
5 Why can he play the flute so well?
6 Where did Samad get the flute from?

Expressing Ability/Inability Page-65

SSC Programme

) Read these sentences carefully.

1 a Shimul is able to paint beautiful pictures.
b Shimul can paint beautiful pictures.
2 a The horse is able to run fast.
b The horse can run fast.
3 a Rahim is unable to speak.
b Rahim can't speak.
4 a Ayesha is unable to do hard work.
b Ayesha can't do hard work.
In all these sentences we find two ways of saying the same things : is
able to/can, and is unable to/can't.
Now rewrite these sentences using can/can't.
1 Hanif is able to play cricket very well.
2 Seema is unable to prepare good Chinese dishes.
3 Rina is unable to carry such a big load.
4 Tariq is able to get a good job.
5 Nira is able to do all the washing.
6 Adeeb is unable to drive the car.
7 Rahat is unable to write stories.
8 The monkey is able to jump from one tree to another.
G
Read the chart carefully and make ten true sentences about yourself
using can/can't.
1 2 3 4 5
write with draw drive a car ride a bicycle sew a button on
both hands picture my dress/shirt
6 7 8 9 10
work with a cut a skip with a cook chicken walk a long way
computer pineapple rope curry very easily
Example :
1 I can't write with both hands.
2 ..................................................................................
3 ..................................................................................
4 ..................................................................................
5 ..................................................................................
6 ..................................................................................
7 ..................................................................................
8 ..................................................................................
9 ..................................................................................
10 ..................................................................................

Unit-4 Page-66
 English One

Revision and Test LESSON

A
Maneez is a little boy of 8. He is member of a circus. He can do a lot of things.
But there are certain things he can't do.
Now look at the pictures below and write sentences about the things
Maneez can do, and the things he can't do.
can do can't do

1 swim for hours at a time 2 ride a monocycle

3 carry a ball on his head without 4 walk on a rope

using his hands

5 roll in a drum 6 pass through a ring of fire.

Expressing Ability/Inability Page-67

SSC Programme

7 get on his father's shoulder while he is 8 walk on a oair of stilts

riding a bicycle

9 stand on his head with his legs in 10 carry a table with his legs
the air up

B
Look at the statements in section A about things Maneez can do, and
things he can't do. Now make five questions with can and five with can't
about Maneez.
Example :
can can't
1 Can Maneez swim for hours at a 1 Can't Maneez ride a
time? monocycle?
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5

Unit-4 Page-68
 English One

C
Suppose you are a new student in a college. You want to know your
friend better. Ask her/him six questions with can and six questions with
can't.

Example :

1 Can you write poems ?

2
3
4
5
6

D
Rewrite the following sentences using can and can't instead of the
phrases underlined.
1 Moni is able to skip for a long time.
2 Jamal is able to sing like TV singers.
3 The doctor is unable to understand the patient.
4 The patient is unable to express her feelings.
5 Shuman is able to use the camera.
6 Bangladesh is able to hold international games.
7 Sheila is unable to travel by bus.

E
Now write ten sentences about yourself mentioning the things you can
do, and things you can't do.

Expressing Ability/Inability Page-69

SSC Programme

ANSWER
LESSON : 1
A
1 This is a school girl.
2 She is going to school.
3 She is going to school on foot.
D
1 False. About 2 kilometers.
2 True.
3 False. She can only draw pictures but she can't paint.
4 True.
5 False. He can play the tabla and the flute, but not the sitar.
6 True.
E
1 Moni can skip with a rope for twenty minutes without a break.
2 Mukta.
3 She paints all the pictures that Moni draws.
4 He can play the sitar.
5 She can't sing like Moni.
G1
Name can do can't do
Mukta can paint pictures can't sing.
Heera can play the tabla and the flute can't play the sitar.
Father can play the sitar can't find time to play the
sitar regularly.
Mother can cook well can't sing like Moni.
G2
2 Can Mina make her own dress?
3 Can he drive a long way?
4 Can they jump over the wall?
5 Can she type very fast?

LESSON : 2
A
1 The girl is talking to her mother in the bedroom with a newspaper in
her hand.
2 The girl has read an advertisement in the newspaper about a painting
competition which she could enter.
B
1 (c) 2 (a) 3 (b) 4 (a) 5 (b)

Unit-4 Page-70
 English One

E
1 Mukta was excited about the painting competition.
2 The Shilpakala Academy organised the competition to celebrate the
Bengali new century- 1400.
3 The competition will be held at the Shilpakala Academy premises on
May 3, 1994.
4 Mukta can draw and paint different types of pictures like a village hat, a
school at break, city life, a zoo, etc.
5 Mukta's teacher says that her painting is very good.
G
1 Can't Jamal make kites?
2 Can't Maneez speak English?
3 Can't Seema write poems?
4 Can't bats see in the daylight?
5 Can't Ayesha cook biriyani?
6 Can't birds swim?
7 Can't Salam play chess?
8 Can't Rahima knit a sweater?

LESSON : 3
A
1 He is playing the flute.
2 He can perhaps play the tabla, mouth organ, harmonium, etc.
D
2 Heera can make a Burglar Alarm.
3 Heera can't sing like Moni.
4 Heera can play the sitar very well.
5 Heera can't play the tabla very well.
E
1 Heera is in class 9.
2 He is good at Science.
3 To make different things for the Science Fair he needs things like
pieces of magnet, wire, wood and nails.
4 At the annual cultural competition this year Heera played the flute and
won the first prize.
5 Heera can play the flute very well because he has a very good teacher
to help him, and also because he practises for an hour everyday.
6 Samad's uncle brought him a flute from the village hat.
F
1 Hanif can play cricket very well.
2 Seema can't prepare good Chinese dishes.
3 Rina can't carry such a big load.
4 Tariq can get a good job.
5 Nira can do all the washing.

Expressing Ability/Inability Page-71

SSC Programme

6 Adeeb can't drive the car.

7 Rahat can't write stories.
8 The monkey can jump from one tree to another.
G
Write the answers and show them to your tutor.

LESSON : 4
A
1 Maneez can swim for hours at a time.
2 He can't ride a monocycle.
3 He can carry a ball on his head without using his hands.
4 He can't walk on a rope.
5 He can roll in a drum.
6 He can't pass through a ring of fire.
7 He can get on his father's shoulder while he is riding a bicycle.
8 He can't walk on a pair of stilts.
9 He can stand on his head with his legs in the air.
10 He can't carry a table with his legs up.
B
2 Can Maneez carry a ball on his head without using his hands? Can't he
walk on a rope?
3 Can he roll in a drum? Can't he pass through a ring of fire?
4 Can he get on his father's shoulder while he is riding a bicycle? Can't
he walk on a pair of stilts?
5 Can he stand on his head with his legs in the air? Can't he carry a table
with his legs up?
C
Some examples :
1 Can you sing?
2 Can you dance?
3 Can you drive a car?
4 Can't you stay at home all by yourself?
5 Can't you give her some money?
6 Can't you buy a new watch?
D
1 Moni can skip for a long time.
2 Jamal can sing like TV singers.
3 The doctor can't understand the patient.
4 The patient can't express her feelings.
5 Shuman can use the camera.
6 Bangladesh can hold international games.
7 Sheila can't travel by bus.
E
Write the sentences and show them to your tutor.

Unit-4 Page-72