NEW HEADWAY

ELEMENTARY

UNIT 6:
CAN YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?
 Which countries are they?
Which languages do they speak there?

SPAIN SPAINISH FRANCE FRENCH JAPAN JAPANESE

GERMANY GERMAN ITALY ITALIAN ENGLAND ENGLISH

Which sports or games are they?

golf card

tennis football
 PART: WHAT CAN YOU DO?
2 6
1. He can ski really well.
2. She can use a computer.
1
3. “ Can dogs swim?”
3
“ Yes, they can.”
4. “ Can you speak Japanese?”
5 4
“ No, I can’t.”
5. I can’t spell your name.
6. We can’t understand the
question.
Match the sentences and pictures.
Listen and check.
 THE MODAL VERB “CAN”
1. FORMATION
Positive:
•

S + CAN + VERB (INF)…

Ex: I can speak English.

She can drive a car.
They can play the piano.
 Negative:

S + CAN’T + VERB (INF)…

Ex: I can’t speak English.

She can’t drive a car.
They can’t play the piano.
 Question:
•

CAN + S + VERB (INF)…?

- Yes, S + can.
- No, S + can’t.
Ex: Can you speak English?
- Yes, I can. / No, I can’t.
Can she drive a car?
- Yes, she can. / No, she can’t.
WHAT + CAN + S + DO?

Ex: What can you do?

- I can speak English.
What can he do?
- He can play football.
What can they do?
- They can sing well.
2. USAGE:

• The modal verb “CAN” is used to denote an

ability in the present.
• Notes:
- Can and can’t have the same form in all
persons.
- There is no do or does.
Listen and complete the sentences with can or
can’t + verb.

1. I can
____speak
_____French
______, but Ican’t
____speak
_____German
_______.
2. Hecan’t
____dance
_____ , but hecan
___sing
___ .
3. “Can
___ you cook
_____?” “ Yes, Ican
___”
4. They can
___ ski
___, but theycan’t
____swim
____.
5. Wecan
___dance
_____ and wecan ___ sing
____.
6. Can
“ ___ she drive
_____?” “ No, shecan’t
____.”
 PART:PRACTICE
Tina can’t cook. Can you?
Listen to Tina and complete the chart.
Put √ or × .
Can…? Tina you your partner
drive a car ×
speak French ×
speak Italian √
cook ×
play tennis √
ski √
swim
√
play the piano ×
use a computer
√
Complete the chart about you
Complete the chart about your partner.
Ask and answer the questions.

Can you drive a car?

No, I
can’t.
Can you ski? Yes, I can. But not very well.

Tell the class about you and your partner.

Louis can ski but I can’t.

What can computer do?
• Talk about computers with a √
partner. ×
×
What can they do? ×
What can’t they do? √
×
√
×
They can translate, but ×
×
they can’t speak English. ×
×

Yes, they
• What can people do that
can.
computers can’t do?
WHERE WERE YOU YESTERDAY?

Monday Sunday

March February

school home

Yes Yes
No No

Yes
No Yes
No

he he
he he
 PRACTICE
Talking about you
Ask and answer questions with a partner.
Where were you …….?
• at eight o’clock this morning
• at half past six yesterday evening
• at two o’clock this morning
• at this time yesterday
• at ten o’clock last night
• last Saturday evening
Complete the conversation, using was, were,
wasn’t, weren’t, or couldn’t.

Were

was
Was
was
Were
were
Was
wasn’t were
weren’t
couldn’t was
was
 READING AND SPEAKING
SUPER KIDS
Look at the children in the photographs.
How old are they? What can they do?
 Answer the questions about Alexandra
1. How old is she?
2. Why is she special?
3. Where was she born? 7.8.She
No,could
she doesn’t,
paints verybecause every
4. Where does she live now? 9.2.4.
10. She
No,
She
5.
1.was
(She
paints
she
(She
She
6. day
well
lives)
3.and sellsYes,
islarge,
thirteen.
after
doesn’t.
in London,
when
lives)
was she
in (
with
Los
born)
cubist
school
She
she
does.
her was
pictures,
she
Paris
can
Angeles.
in buydoes
and
four.
family.
Romania. bigher
aRome.
5. Who does she live with? house and them
travelathe
homework, lotplays
of money.
with her little
world.)
6. Does she go to school? brother, then paints for two or
7. What could she do when she was very young? three hours until bedtime.
8. Does she have much free time? Why not?
9. Is she poor?
10. Where was she last year?
 Answer the questions about Alexandra
1. How old is he?
2. Why is he special?
3. Where was he born? 7.
8.Yes,
2. He
No,
He could
he does
can doesn’t,
play
play thethebecause
piano
piano when
he
very he)./
well.
10.
6.
1.3.
9.
5.was He
(
He’s
No,He
( Hetwo was
he
he was
ten.
lives) in Washington,
(
born)
doesn’t.
with two indays
Opava
his parents.a week
in
4. Where does he live now? practises
He’s a andthe
brillianthe
piano
could
pianist.sixread
hourmusic
a day
Chicago
4.
the( He
Czechand
was London.
born)
Republic. in Vienna.
5. Who does he live with? before
and hehe gives
could lots
read
of concerts.
books.
6. Does he go to school?
7. What could he do when he was very young?
8. Does he have much free time? Why not?
9. Is he poor?
10. Where was he last year?
What is the same about Alexandra and Lukas?
What is different? Discuss with your partner

They are both geniuses.

Alexandra is a painter, and Lukas is a

pianist.

They were both born in Eastern Europe. They both

travel a lot and have money. Alexandra has a brother,
but Lukas is only child. Alexandra goes to school
every day, but Lukas goes to school two days a
week. Alexandra lives in the USA, but Lukas lives in
Vienna. Lukas plays sports but Alexandra doesn’t.
 VOCABULARY
AND
PRONUNCIATION
Look at the sentences. What do you notice
about these words?
- I have a black eye.
- No, he doesn’t know the answer.
Find the words in B that have the same pronunciation
as the words in A.

write – right / see - sea

wear – where / by - buy
hear – here / eye - I
for – four / son - sun
know – no / too - two
hour – our / there - their
Correct the two spelling mistakes in each sentence.

1. I can here
hear you, but I can’t sea
see you.
2. Their
Thereare
arethree
threebedrooms
bedroomsin inhour
our house.
house.
3. I don’t no
know
wear
where
Jill lives.
Jill lives.
4. My sun
son lives near the see.
sea.
5. Don’t where
wear that
thathat,
hat,buy
by a new one!
6. Know,
No, I can’t
eye come
can’t come
to your
toparty.
your party.
write.. Sally
7. You were right Sally and
and Peter
Peter can’t
can’t come
come four dinner.
for dinner.
8. There
Their daughter
daughtercould
couldwrite
right when
when she
she was
was three.
three.
9. I no mymy
know answers
answer are write.
are right.
know no
son sun
too two
write right
hear here
where wear
 EVERYDAY ENGLISH
When you don’t know
someone’s telephone
number, you can phone
Directory Enquiries. In
Britain you ring 153 for
international numbers.
Here are the names
and addresses of some
people you want to call.
Listen to the operator and answer her questions.
Get Nancy’s telephone number.

Operator: International Directory Enquiries. Which country,

please?
You: Australia , please!
__________.
Operator: And which town?
You: Perth
__________.
Operator: Can I have the last name, please?
You: __________.
Wilson
Operator: And the initial?
You: N
__________.
Operator: What’s the address?
You: 302 Erindale Road
__________.
Recorded message: The number you require is 006198
_________.
4681133
Read the lines below. They are all from telephone
conversations. What do you think the lines before
or after are? Discuss with a partner.
1. This is Jo.
2. Can I take a message?
3. Great! See you on Sunday at ten, then. Bye!
4. Oh, never mind. Perhaps next time. Bye!
5. No, it isn’t. I’ll just get her.
6. I’ll ring back later.
7. There’s a party at my house on Saturday. Can
you come?
8. Can I speak to the manager, please?
Complete the conversations with a line from exercise 3.

This is Jo

Great! See you on Sunday at ten, then. Bye!

 No, it isn’t. I’ll just get her.

There’s a party at my house on Saturday. Can you come?

Oh, never mind. Perhaps next time. Bye!

 Can I speak to the manager, please?

Can I take a message?

I’ll ring back later.