Can (bisa, dapat) digunakan untuk menunjukkan kemampuan atau ability. Can bisa digunakan dalam bentuk kalimat affirmative (to show ability), negative (to show inability / ketidakmampuan) dan interrogative (kalimat tanya). Perhatikan contoh berikut:
Positive (Affirmative)
- Julia can speak Mandarin (Julia bisa berbicara bahasa Mandarin)
- My brother can drive a truck (Kakaku bisa mengendarai truck)
- Rano can climb a tree (Rano bisa memanjat pohon)
- Siti can cook fried rice (Siti bisa memasak nasi goreng)
Negative (Tidak Mampu atau Tidak Bisa)
- I can’t swim (saya tidak bisa berenang)
- I cannot answer the question (Saya tidak bisa menjawab pertanyaan itu)
- I can’t taste this coffee (Saya tidak dapat merasakan kopi ini)
- I can’t help you finish this task (Saya tidak bisa membantumu menyelesaikan tugas ini)
Interrogative (Tanya)
- Can you try it for us? (Bisakah kamu mencobanya untuk kami)
- Can you put your bag on the table (Bisakah kamu meletakkan tasmu di atas meja?)
- Can Frichilya sing a song? (Bisakah Frichilya menyanyikan sebuah lagu?)
Penggunaan modal CAN dalam dialog. Perhatikan dialog singkat di bawah ini!
Dialog 1
Sarah: We need to edit the video.
Do you guys know how to do it?
Lani: Leave it to me. I’ll edit the video tonight.
Tania: Can you do that?
Lani: Yeah, I can, but not that good.
Dialog 2
Andi: Look! There’s a piano in this room.
Arga: That’s right. Can you play a piano?
Andi: Yes, I can. My dad taught me when I was in
elementary school.
Dialog 3
Linda: Mom, are you making dinner? I want to
help you.
Mother: Yes, Honey. Do you know how to cook
rice?
Linda: I don’t know, Mom. Can you tell me?
Mother: Okay.
