FACULTAD REGIONAL LA RIOJA

Ingeniería: Civil – Electromecánica – Electrónica. (IV)

VERBO “CAN”

Can es un verbo auxiliar, para ser más precisos, un verbo auxiliar modal. Se utiliza
regularmente para hablar de posibilidad y habilidad, para hacer peticiones, y para
pedir o dar permiso. Otro verbo relacionado al can es could (pasado).
El uso de can puede servir para expresar las habilidades que tienes. Algunas veces
tienes mucho dominio sobre algunas actividades que a otros les cuesta y puede ser
que haya cosas que no puedas hacer. Resulta interesante intercambiar información
de tus habilidades y la de los otros.
Por otra parte, el uso de can también puede ayudar a decir las cosas que puedes
hacer en un lugar.
- Es importante recordar que el verbo CAN (poder) no tiene infinitivo, ni
gerundio (–ING form), ni presente perfecto, ni futuro y tampoco puede seguir
a otro verbo modal auxiliar.
SINONIMO
- Para todos esos casos mencionados se debe utilizar la estructura BE ABLE
TO /bi éibl tú/ (poder, ser capaz de). El significado de BE ABLE TO es similar
al de CAN y se usa en los tiempos verbales en que CAN no puede
conjugarse.
CAN sólo puede conjugarse en Simple Present y Simple Past. Observa estos
ejemplos con ambos tiempos verbales y su equivalencia con BE ABLE TO:
SIMPLE PRESENT
I can read in English = I am able to read in English
Puedo leer (Sé leer) en inglés.

SIMPLE PAST
I could read in English = I was able to read in English
Podía leer (Sabía leer) en inglés.

- En cambio, para los restantes tiempos verbales tienes que usar BE ABLE TO
en reemplazo de CAN. No siendo BE ABLE TO un auxiliar modal, puede
usarse sin limitaciones con todos los tiempos verbales.

SIMPLE FUTURE
I will be able to read in English
I will can read in English es erróneo.
Podré leer (Sabré leer) en inglés.
SIMPLE CONDITIONAL
I would be able to read in English
I would can read in English es erróneo.
Podría leer (Sabría leer) en inglés.
PRESENT PERFECT
I have been able to read in English
I have can read in English es erróneo.
 He podido leer (He sabido leer) en inglés.
- El uso de can puede ser para hablar de habilidad. Por ejemplo, puedes
decir que eres capaz de realizar una actividad compleja:

I can play the piano. 

I can swim very well. 
I can write poems. 
I can dance salsa.

- O las cosas que no puedes hacer:

I can’t ride a motorcycle. 

I can’t speak French. 
I can’t drive a car. 
I can’t draw.
A la vez, en este contexto puedes expresar que tienes algunas cosas importantes
que puedes hacer aunque no puedas algunas. Por ejemplo:
I can’t ride a motorcycle, but I can ride a bicycle.
I can’t speak French, but I can speak English.
I can’t drive a car, but I can ride a motorcycle. 
I can’t draw, but I can cook.

- Por otra parte, también se puede ocupar para negar algún compromiso o
invitación porque no puedes realizar una actividad. Por ejemplo:

A: Do you want some coffee and cookies?

B: Sorry! I can’t eat cookies. I’m on a diet.
A: Do you want to go to the movies today? 
B: Oh! No. Sorry! I can’t. It’s my mother’s birthday.

- También puedes usar can para cuando expreses las cosas que pueden
hacer los visitantes en tu ciudad o pueblo donde vives. Es decir, puedes
mencionar las cosas interesantes que se pueden hacer en tu lugar: 

In my city you can go to the beach and drink a cool soft drink. You can go to Lulu’s
restaurant. The food is delicios there. You can go to river and have a nice day with
the family and in the evening you can go to the boulevar. It’s beautiful.

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

Subject + Can + subject + infinitive verb
Subject + can + can’t+
infinitive verb infinitive verb

I can play I can’t play Can I play..? yes, you can / No, you can’t
You can play You can’t play Can you play...? yes, I can / No, I can’t
He can play He can’t play Can he play…? Yes, he can / No, he can’t
She can play She can’t play Can she play…? Yes, she can / No, she can’t
It can play It can’t play Can it play…? Yes, it can / No, it can’t
We can play We can’t play Can we play…? Yes, we can / No, we can’t
You can play You can’t play Can you play...? yes, we can / No, we can’t
They can play They can’t play Can They play…? Yes, they can / No, they can’t
VERB “TO BE” SIMPLE PAST

- ¡Para recordar! Se traduce al castellano como “SER o ESTAR”, y

dependiendo del sujeto con el que se conjuga, al igual que en castellano,
adoptara una forma u otra.
Encontramos dos formas de conjugar al verbo TO BE en pasado.
Una es WAS que se utiliza para I, he, she, it.
La otra es WERE se utiliza para we, you, they.
De esto se desprende que el pasado de “am” y el de “is” es was; y el pasado de
“are” es were.
El verbo be es un verbo que no necesita auxiliar (did) para realizar una pregunta o
negación.
E.g. He was my friend when I was ten years old.
(Él era mi amigo cuando yo tenía 10 años)
She was very happy yesterday morning.
(Ella estaba muy feliz ayer a la mañana)
They were very famous scientists.
(Ellos eran científicos muy famosos)

AFFIRMATIVE FORM:

SUJETO + VERBO TO BE + COMPLEMENTOS

Ej: I was in England last month

NEGATIVE FORM:

SUJETO + VERBO TO BE + NOT + COMPLEMENTOS

Ej: I was not in Germany last month.

INTERROGATIVE FORM:

VERBO TO BE + SUJETO + COMPLEMENTOS?

Ej: Were you in Japan last month? Yes, I was / No, I wasn’t

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I was not (I wasn't)

was I?
no fui, no era / no estuve, no estaba
I was ¿fui?, ¿era? / ¿estuve?, ¿estaba?
you were not (you weren't)
fui, era / estuve, estaba were you?
no fuiste, no eras / no estuviste, no estabas
you were ¿fuiste?, ¿eras? / ¿estuviste?, ¿estabas?
he was not (he wasn't)
fuiste, eras / estuviste, estabas was he?
no fue, no era / no estuvo, no estaba
he was ¿fue?, ¿era? / ¿estuvo?. ¿estaba?
we were not (we weren't)
fue, era / estuvo, estaba were we?
no fuimos, no éramos, / no estuvimos, no
we were ¿fuimos?, ¿éramos? / ¿estuvimos?,
estábamos
fuimos, éramos, / estuvimos, estábamos estábamos
you were not (you weren't)
you were were you?
no fuisteis, no erais / no estuvisteis, no
fuisteis, erais, / estuvisteis, estabais ¿fuisteis?, ¿erais?, /  ¿estuvisteis?,
estabais
they were ¿estabais?
they were not (they weren't)
fueron, eran / estuvieron, estaban were they?
no fueron, no eran / no estuvieron, no
¿fueron?, ¿eran? / ¿estuvieron?, ¿estaban?
estaban
THERE BE - THERE WAS - WERE

Como vimos anteriormente “there be” significa “haber”, de esta forma esta en
infinitivo.

Present Past
There was a big clock in the office last year.
There is There was (había un gran reloj en la oficina el año pasado)
There were many children in the park yesterday.
There are There were (había muchos niños en parque ayer)

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE

WAS THERE…? YES, THERE WAS / NO THERE
THERE WAS THERE WASN’T
WASN’T
THERE WERE WERE THERE...? YES, THERE WERE / NO, THERE
THERE WEREN’T
WEREN’T
There was There wasn’t
There were HUBO / HABIA There weren’t NO HABIA

SIMPLE PAST TENSE / TIEMPO PASADO SIMPLE:

Usamos el pasado simple para hablar de algo que sucedió en el pasado y que no
tiene relación con el presente. Se refiere exclusivamente a un lapso de tiempo ya
finalizado, acciones que comenzaron, se desarrollaron y finalizaron en el pasado:

E.g. Pasteur made important medical discoveries.

(Pasteur realizó importantes descubrimientos médicos.)
I visited London when I was a child.
(Visite Londres cuando era niño)

 Como vimos anteriormente cuando estudiamos el presente simple, para

realizar una pregunta o una negación necesitamos de la ayuda de un auxiliar.
Es decir, el pasado simple funciona de manera similar al presente simple,
salvo que empleamos el auxiliar DID - DID NOT / DIDN’T para todas las
personas (incluida la 3º persona del singular HE, SHE, IT).

 En las oraciones afirmativas usamos los verbos regulares: forman el pasado

añadiendo “ED / D” al infinitivo. Los verbos irregulares tienen una forma
especial para el pasado (no siguen ninguna regla - 2ª columna de los verbos
irregulares).

 Aparece con expresiones como last: last week – last month – last year – last
night - last Monday (days of week) last holiday – etc / Ago: two days ago –
four days ago – along time ago: hace un tiempo atrás – aminute ago: hace un
minuto – a moment ago: hace un momento – etc / yesterday: yesterday
morning / the day before yesterday / In: in 1940 – in 1910 -
Forma afirmativa del pasado simple
Sujeto + verbo pasado + complemento
Regular/irregular
Ej.: she danced with Mike
(Ella bailó con Mike)
I played tennis last Saturday.
(Jugué al tenis el sábado pasado)
I went to the cinema three days ago.
(fui al cine 3 días atrás)
 Recordar: Las oraciones afirmativas son las únicas que llevan el verbo
en pasado, ya que no utilizamos verbo auxiliar
Forma negativa del pasado simple:
Sujeto + did not o didn´t + verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.
Ej.: I did not/didn´t go to the gym yesterday
(Ayer no fui al gimnasio)
she didn’t dance with Mike
(Ella no bailó con Mike)
I didn’t play tennis last Saturday.
(Jugué al tenis el sábado pasado)

 Recordar: que cuando está el auxiliar DID / DIDN’T el verbo va en

infinitivo.
Forma interrogativa del pasado simple:

Did + sujeto + verbo de la acción en infinitivo + Complementos.

Ej.: Did you go to the gym yesterday? Yes, I did – No, I didn’t
(¿Fuiste ayer al gimnasio?)
Did she play tennis last Saturday? Yes, she did – No, she didn’t
(¿Jugó tenis el sábado pasado?)

Verbo auxiliar Did – Did not / Didn’t (I, Did +subject + past verb
you, he ,she, it, we, you,
they)

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I worked I didn’ t work Did I work? Yes, you did / No, you didn’t
You worked You didn’ t work Did you work? Yes, I did / No, I didn’t
He worked He didn’ t work Did he work? Yes, he did / No, he didn’t
She worked She didn’ t work Did she work? Yes, she did / No, she didn’t
It worked It didn’ t work Did it work? Yes, it did / No, it didn’t
We worked We didn’ t work Did we work? Yes, we did / No, we didn’t
You worked You didn’ t work Did you work? Yes, we did / No, we didn’t
They worked They didn’ t work Did they work? Yes, they did / No, they didn’t
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE / TIEMPO PASADO
CONTINUO:
Utilizamos el tiempo pasado continuo en las siguientes ocasiones:

 Para determinada acción que estaba ocurriendo en el pasado.

Ej: My grandma was cooking an apple pie.
(Mi abuela estaba cocinando la una torta de manzana)

 Para describir una acción que ocurría en determinado momento en el pasado,

estaba en proceso y fue interrumpida por otra acción del pasado.
Ej: I was having a shower when the phone rang.
(Me estaba bañando cuando sonó el teléfono)

 Utilizamos el pasado continuo también para descripciones. Nótese la

combinación de la parte descriptiva
(Pasado continuo) con la parte narrativa (pasado simple)

A wood was burning on the hearth, and the cat was sleeping in front of it. A girl was playing the piano
(El fuego estaba crepitando en el hogar, y un gato estaba durmiendo en frente de él. Una niña estaba tocando el piano)
And was singing softly to herself. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. The girl stopped playing.
(Y estaba cantando suavemente para sí misma. De repente golpearon la puerta. La niña paro de tocar .)
The cat Woke up...
El gato desperto...

 Este tiempo se forma con el pasado del verbo “TO BE” (was/were) + el
presente participio (es decir agregando la terminación “ING” al verbo
infinitivo).
 Es frecuente encontrar adverbios como “WHEN” (cuando) y “WHILE”
(mientras) en este tiempo verbal.

Ej: My brother was writing a letter when Peter arrived.

(Mi hermano estaba escribiendo una carta cuando Pedro llego)
While I was doing the Shopping I came across Susan.
(Mientras estaba haciendo las compras me encontré con Susan)

- Forma afirmativa del pasado continuo

Sujeto + was/were +verbo ING + complementos

Ej.: I was washing the dishes when Jane came in.

(Estaba lavando los platos cuando Jane entró)
We were playing cards in the living room.
(Estábamos jugando a las cartas en el living)
Tom was driving so fast.
(tom estaba conduciendo demasiado rápido)
It was raining yesterday morning.
(Estaba lloviendo ayer a la mañana)

Se forma con el pasado del verbo (to) be (was were) más el verbo de la acción en
gerundio (Infinitivo+-ing).
 - Forma negativa del pasado continuo :

Sujeto + was not o wasn´t / were not o weren´t +verbo de la acción en

gerundio+ Complementos.

Ej.: I was not cleaning your shoes

(No estaba limpiando tus zapatos)
We weren’t playing cards in the living room.
(No estábamos jugando a las cartas en el living)
Tom wasn’t driving so fast.
(Tom no estaba conduciendo demasiado rápido)
It wasn’t raining yesterday morning.
(estaba lloviendo ayer a la mañana)

- Forma interrogativa del pasado continuo :

 was/were+ Sujeto+ Verbo de la acción en gerundio+ Complementos?

Ej.: were you cleaning her shoes? Yes, I was – No, I wasn’t
(¿Estabas limpiando sus zapatos?)
Were they playing cards? Yes, they were – No, they weren’t
(Estaban jugando cartas?)

 Wh- questions + was / were + subject + verb.ing + complement

Ej.: where was she dancing? She was dancing at the theatre.
(Donde estaba ella bailando? Ella estaba bailando en el teatro.)
What were you studying? I was studying geography.
¿Qué estabas estudiando? Estaba estudiando geografía
How were they playing? They were playing very well.
¿Cómo estaban jugando ellos? Ellos estaban jugando muy bien
 Practising

A) Complete the following sentences with AM / IS/ ARE/ WAS / WERE

1. Last year she -WAS--- 22, so she --IS--23 now.

2. Today the weather --IS-- nice, but yesterday it –WAS-- very cold.
3. I --AM--- hungry. Can I have a sandwich?
4. I feel fine this morning but I ---WAS--- very tired last night.
5. Where -WERE-- you at 11o’clock last Friday morning?
6. Don’t buy those shoes. They --ARE-- very expensive.
7. This time last year I -WAS-- in Paris.
8. Where -ARE-- the children? I don’t know. They --WERE-- in the garden ten
minutes ago.

B) Write questions: Use the words in brackets in the correct order + was and
were.
1. late / you / this morning/ why? The traffic was bad.
WERE YOU LATE WHY THE MORNING?
2. difficult / your exam? No, it was easy.
WAS YOUR EXAM DIFFICULT?
3. last week / where / Ann and Chris? They were on holiday.
WHERE WERE ANN AND CHRIS LAST WEEK?
4. your new camera / how much? 60$
HOW MUCH WAS NEW CAMERA?
5. angry / you / yesterday / why? Because you were late.
WHY WERE YOU ANGRY YESTERDAY?
6. nice / the weather / last week? Yes, it was beautiful
WAS THE WEATHER NICE LAST WEEK?

C) Complete the sentences: Use one of these verbs in the past simple: Clean
die - enjoy – finish – happen – open – rain – start – stay - want

1) I -cleaned- my teeth three times yesterday.

2) It was hot in the room, so I -opened- the window.
3) The concert -started- at 7.30 and -finished- at 10 o’clock.
4) When I was a child I -wanted- to be a doctor.
5) The accident -happened-- last Sunday afternoon.
6) It’s a nice day today but yesterday it -rained-- all day.
7) We -enjoyed- our holiday last year. We -stayes- at a very nice place.
8) Ann’s grandfather -died- when he was 90 years old.

D) Write B’s questions: Use one of these verbs in the past simple:
Arrive - cost - go - go to bed late - have a nice time - stay – win
1) A) We went to New York last month.
B) Where -------------------------------------?
A) With some friends.
2) A) I was late this morning.
B) What time ---------------------------------?
A) Half past nine

3) A) I played tennis this afternoon.

B) --------------------------------------------?
A) No, I lost.
4) A) I had a nice holiday.
B) Good. Where---------------------------------?
A) To the mountains.
5 A) We came home by taxi.
B) How much -------------------------------------?
A) 10$
6) A) I’m tired this morning.
B) -----------------------------------------------------?
A) No, but I didn’t sleep well.
7) A) We went to the beach yesterday.
B) ----------------------------------------------------------?
A) Yes, it was great.

E) Put the verb into the past continuous or past simple:

1) A) What (you do) --------------- when the phone (ring) ----------------?

B) I (watch) ------------------- TV.
2) A) Was Jane busy when you went to see her?
B) Yes, she (study) -------------------
3) A) What time (the post arrive) ------------------------- this morning?
B) It (come) ----------------while I (have) -----------------breakfast.
4) A) How fast ( you drive)---------------- when the police (stop)-------------
----------- you?
B) I don’t know exactly but I ( not drive )--------------- very fast.
5) A) (you see) ----------------- Jenny last night?
B)Yes, she (wear) ---------------- a very nice jacket.

F) Write complete sentences, one of the verb in past simple, the other one in
past continuous.

1. I / walk /home / when / it / start / to rain

2. Cora / read / a letter/ when / Jimmy / phone / her
3. Andy / come out / of the restaurant / when / he / see / Jenny
4. Cathy / phone / the post office / when the parcel / arrive
5. When Don / arrive / we / have / coffee
6. While he / walk / in the mountains / Henry / see / a bear
 7. The students / play / a game / when / the professor / arrive
8. I / walk / to the park / when it / start / to snow.

G) 1. Put the verbs in brackets in to the simple past

Coco Chanel 1)......................... (be/born) in Saumur, in France, in 1883. her career as a

designer 2) ............................... (start) in 1913, when she 3) ................................ (open) a
hat shop in Deauville. She quickly 4).......................... (add) sweaters, skirts and
accesoriesto her collection and soon everyone 5) ......................................(want) to buy her
clothes. During her career, Chanel also 6)........................ (design) jewellery and
7) .................................. (produce) perfumes such as Chanel nº 5, which she
8) ................................ (introduce) in 1922.
Although Chanel 9)................................ (be) a beautiful woman, she
10)............................................ (not/marry) and She 11)...................................... (not/have)
any children. She 12).................................. (die) in Paris, in 1971.

2. Rewrite the following into full questions, putting the verbs in to the past
simple, then, answer them.

1 when/Coco Chanel/be
born? ..........................................................................................
2 start/
when/career/her? ..........................................................................................
3 add/her collection/quickly/she/what?
....................................................................................
4 Coco Chanel/beautiful
woman/be? ..........................................................................................
5 die/Coco Chanel/when?
..........................................................................................

H) Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs. (simple past /
past continuous)

Fall – have (x2) – walk – ring – start (x2) – see – plan

- sleep

EJ: I was reading a book when mike arrived.

1) Mark ……………….. A shower when his girlfriend ……………………….. him.
2) They …………………………. A picnic when It ………………………….. to rain.
3) Ann and Paul ………………………. When they baby ………………….. to cry.
4) As I ………………………………….. To work, I ………………………….. Dave.
5) We …………………. The project when Dave ………………………….. asleep.