Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.
00:07
Hello, and welcome to today’s Grammar Gameshow!
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I’m your host, Will!
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If a toucan can cancan,
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then two toucans can cancan too!
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And of course, let’s not forget Leslie,
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our all-knowing voice in the sky.
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Hello, everyone!
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Tonight we’re going to ask you three questions about…
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Can!
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That tiny modal verb with such a range of meanings!
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OK! Now, let’s meet our contestants!
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Hello, all. My name is Bill!
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And contestant number two?
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It’s nice to meet you. I’m Denise!
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OK, let’s get going, and don’t forget
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you can play along at home too.
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Round one.
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Can is a modal verb with many uses.
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I’m going to give you the use
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and you have to give me an example.
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Ready?
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Can for permission.
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You can sit wherever you like.
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Correct!
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Can for a request.
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Can Dad pick me up from school today?
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Correct!
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Can for a possibility.
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We can’t be lost! We’ve got a map!
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Correct!
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Can for an ability.
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I can hold my breath for two minutes.
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Correct!
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Wow!
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Two minutes, eh?
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Well, go ahead. Prove it!
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What?
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Two minutes you said.
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If you want any points, you’re going to have to prove it.
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Ready?
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Go!
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And now for a surprise bonus question.
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True or false:
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‘Can’ can be used to talk about
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typical or common behaviour,
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just like the present simple.
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It’s not two minutes yet!
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True.
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Correct!
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Use this sentence to give us an example:
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John is often quite rude.
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John can be quite rude at times.
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Correct!
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It’s not two minutes yet!
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Leslie?
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Good job!
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Can and can’t are modal verbs
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meaning they’re always followed by an infinitive
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and don’t change to show person or time.
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They are useful verbs, and can be used to talk about
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permissions,
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requests and offers,
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possibility and impossibility,
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abilities
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and typical behaviour.
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It all depends on the context!
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Three…
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two…
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one!
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Well, now that’s…
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two minutes!
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Well, well done!
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40 quarters of a point for you.
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On to round two.
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‘Can’ is not often used to refer to an action happening
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at the moment of speaking,
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but it can be done!
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Which type of verb when combined with ‘can’
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allows us to talk about certain actions
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happening at the moment of speaking?
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I need to sit down.
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I can see stars.
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Can you hear ringing?
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Two very good examples,
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but I’m still waiting for a verb form.
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Oh!
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Verbs of the senses!
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Leslie?
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Correct!
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The sense verbs see, hear, smell, taste and feel,
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are not usually used in the continuous form
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when referring to perception.
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When we want to talk about seeing or hearing
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at the moment of speaking,
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we use ‘can’.
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For example,
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I can see my house from here!
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That’s why we put you there, Leslie.
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Always seeing, never reaching!
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It keeps you hungry.
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Well done, Bill.
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Have 60 points divided by 60.
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Let’s move on to our third round.
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And this question is worth a thousand points.
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So if you get this one, you’ll probably win the game!
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Which word combines with ‘can’
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to produce a verb phrase which means that
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a person is unable to control themselves
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even though they want to?
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Help!
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No, I’m afraid that’s not allowed.
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No matter what, I can’t help.
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Not 'help'.
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Can’t help!
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Exactly!
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05:10
Bill?
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The verb phrase is
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'can’t help'
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Excellent!
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Can you give us an example?
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I can’t help eating the occasional slice of cake.
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Gosh!
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I haven’t had cake since…
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but that was such a long time ago.
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Leslie?
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Well done!
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The verb phrase ‘can’t help’ means that despite trying,
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a person is unable to resist doing something.
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For example,
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I can’t help calling towards my house,
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even though I know, they can’t hear me.
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You do make a racket Leslie!
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It’s like music to my ears.
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06:00
And that brings us to the end of today’s
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Grammar Gameshow.
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Let’s count out the points.
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And the winner is…
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Bill!
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Well done!
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Here’s what you’ve won!
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It’s a
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can
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-dy cane!
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We’ll see you again next week,
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where you can play for another prize.
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And Denise,
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your can-do attitude almost saw you through.
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Anything to say?
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Help?
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Sorry.
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I can’t help.
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Fire the cannons!
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It looks like we’ll need another contestant.
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Thanks for joining us.
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Say goodbye, Leslie.
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Na shledanou, Leslie.
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See you next time.
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