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Grammar A1 • 12 Mins 🐸 🪷 🌿

Can see, can hear, can smell

Learn how to describe what you notice around the pond!

📌 How to use this lesson

👩‍🏫 For the Teacher:

Use this 12-minute guide to teach sensory verbs with can in class.

Check answers together with your students after they finish all 12 practice items.

🧑‍🎓 For the Learner:

Read the 4 short rules and check the right and wrong examples first.

Then complete the 12 exercises below, moving step by step from easy to hard.

📖

Grammar Rules

A vivid illustration of a sunny lotus pond with a green frog on a lily pad, a heron by the water, and colorful dragonfli

Rule 1

Sense Verbs with Can

Use see for eyes, hear for ears, and smell for nose. Put them after can with no to.

✅ Right: I can smell fresh bread.

❌ Wrong: I can to smell.

Examples (Pond Topic):

1. I can see a small tadpole.

2. I can smell a wet lily.

3. I can see a small bird.

Rule 2

Noun + -ing

After the noun, add a word with -ing to tell what it is doing. The noun comes first!

✅ Right: She can hear a train coming.

❌ Wrong: She can hear coming a train.

Examples (Pond Topic):

1. I can hear a toad croaking.

2. She can see a bug flying.

Rule 3

Saying No with Can't

Use can't before the verb to say no. Never use do or don't!

✅ Right: He can't hear the radio.

❌ Wrong: He don't can hear.

Examples (Pond Topic):

1. I can't see the ripple.

2. He can't hear the duck quacking.

Rule 4

Asking Questions with Can

Put Can first to ask questions. Never add -s to the verb, even for he, she, or it!

✅ Right: Can she smell the smoke?

❌ Wrong: Can she smells the smoke?

Examples (Pond Topic):

1. Can you see the heron?

2. Can she smell the pond?

✍️

Practice Exercises

12 Questions • Easy to Hard

Part 1: Choose the correct sentence

Select the correct sentence for each item.

1. Choose the correct sentence: (eyes)

____ a. I can see a dragonfly on the lily. ____ b. I can to see a dragonfly on the lily.

2. Choose the correct sentence: (negative)

____ a. I don't can hear the toad. ____ b. I can't hear the toad.

3. Choose the correct sentence: (question)

____ a. Can you hear the plop in the pond? ____ b. Do you can hear the plop in the pond?

Part 2: Make sentences with "I can"

Rewrite the prompt starting with I can and the word in brackets.

Example: "a bird in the tree (see)" ➔ "I can see a bird in the tree."

4. a small toad on the log (see)

____ (Type your sentence here...)

5. a frog croaking near the water (hear)

____ (Type your sentence here...)

6. the wet lily flower (smell)

____ (Type your sentence here...)

Part 3: Fill in the gaps

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

7. Look! I can see a tiny bug ___ on the lily leaf. (action)

____ a. resting ____ b. to rest

8. The water is dark, so I ___ see the little tadpole. (no)

____ a. don't ____ b. can't

9. ___ you hear the loud quack near the tree? (ask)

____ a. Can ____ b. Are

Part 4: Correct the error in a message

Write the corrected sentence in the box provided.

💬

Message: "Hi! I not can see the bug in the water." (no)

____ (Type the correct sentence here...)

💬

Message: "Look! I can see jumping a toad!" (order)

____ (Type the correct sentence here...)

💬

Message: "Can you sees the ripple in the pond?" (verb)

____ (Type the correct sentence here...)

Grammar: can see, hear, and smell

Can see, can hear, can smell

📌 How to use this lesson

Grammar Rules

Sense Verbs with Can

Noun + -ing

Saying No with Can't

Asking Questions with Can

Practice Exercises

Part 1: Choose the correct sentence

Part 2: Make sentences with "I can"

Part 3: Fill in the gaps

Part 4: Correct the error in a message

Related lessons

Reading: Amazing Frogs

Speaking Skills: Frogs and Ponds

Vocabulary & Pronunciation: Frogs and Ponds

Writing: Frogs and Ponds

Can and Can't for Ability

There Is and There Are