Show your talent! (can, can’t)

Olia | Oct 19, 2025May 27, 2026

LESSON OVERVIEW

The main objectives of this ESL lesson on can and can’t are to:

• discuss what people can do and review vocabulary for activities;
• practise can and can’t while talking about skills and abilities;
• listen to a recording and watch a video related to abilities.

In this lesson, students talk about talents and abilities. They listen to a recording about what some people can do, study the use of can and can’t and watch part of a video (to 01:55) of a dog in a talent show. Students discuss talent contests, work with vocabulary for activities (e.g. draw pictures, ride a bike, take photos) and chat about their own abilities and those of people they know. They also work in pairs, discussing real situations involving abilities.

WARM-UP AND GRAMMAR

This ESL lesson on can and can’t starts with a warm-up. Students read sentences about famous people’s talents (e.g. Dua Lipa’s talent is singing) and complete one about themselves or the people they know. After that, they listen to a recording about people in some photos. First, they guess each person’s talent. They then listen to the recording and check. Next, students look at sentences and a question with can and can’t from the recording. Moving on, they practise forming sentences and questions with can and can’t. Afterwards, students complete sentences about talents and abilities with can and can’t (e.g. birds can sing). Following that, they watch a video of a dog in a talent show. Before watching, students guess which activities (e.g. run, jump, dance) the dog can do. Then, they watch part of the video and check. Subsequently, students discuss questions about the video and talent shows. 

VOCABULARY REVIEW AND DISCUSSION

In this part of the ESL lesson on can and can’t, students complete phrases for activities (e.g. ride a bike, drive a car, play chess) under pictures. They then say which things they can or can’t do. Moving on, students think of things connected to abilities (e.g. something you can do with your phone). Afterwards, they get a card with activities (e.g. dance, draw a picture, swim) and ask each other if they can do them. Students find two things that they can both do. Finally, they work in pairs, choosing an activity from the previous task or using their own idea. Students ask if their partner or a person they know (e.g. boss, brother, colleague) can actually do the activity in real life. Their partner adds details. Next, students swap roles. They talk about at least six abilities.

HOMEWORK/REVISION

This ESL lesson on can and can’t also includes an additional task that you can use as homework or revision. In the task, students look at sentences and unscramble words for activities. They then complete the gaps with can or can’t. The task is available in the teacher’s version of the worksheet. You can print it and hand it out to your students. It’s also included in the e-lesson plan.

WORKSHEETS

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