Communicative functions: Interacting with others

Adjusting our interaction with others

Expressing ability

When we interact with others, we say what people can and can't do, ie we talk about ability. We use the modal verb can to talk about ability. The negative of can is cannot, which is often contracted to can't:

Granny Gong can do anything.  MegaMonster can't win. He can never beat her.

Here is an example from a children's conversation:

	Can you see the people controlling it?
	Mm hm. They're down at the bottom.

We can talk about ability in the past time using the past tense form could:

In the story MegaMonster couldn't win. He could never beat Granny Gong.

We can also use the verb to be able to to talk about ability:

Granny Gong is able to do anything.  MegaMonster isn't able to win. He is never able to beat her.	present
In the story MegaMonster wasn't able to win.  He was never able to beat Granny Gong.	past

For more information about responding to requests, see:
 
Text types: Particular Descriptions: Expressing feelings and opinions
Text types: Recounts: Expressing feelings and opinions
Text types: Stories: Building atmosphere and suspense
Grammar: Groups & phrases: Verb group: Adjusting interactions: modality: Overview

Teaching activities

For PrimeTeach teaching activities which provide KS2 students with practice in expressing ability, see: Playground games Three festivals