A1 · Beginner · Skills · 117 words · ~2 min read

🚗 A First Driving Lesson

Language focus: can / can’t · ability & imperatives

Before you read

This story is about ability, so can and can’t appear again and again. Notice that they never take an ending and never need to, and see how the instructor mixes them with imperatives to teach.

Today is Ben’s first driving lesson. He is nervous but excited. His instructor, Kate, is calm and very friendly.

“First, put on your seatbelt,” says Kate. “Now press the pedal slowly.” The car starts to move. Ben can drive, but he can’t go fast yet.

“Slow down at the corner,” says Kate. Ben turns carefully. At the end, Kate smiles. “Well done! You can drive well for a beginner.”

Ben cannot park yet, and he cannot drive on the motorway. But he can start the car, and he can turn left and right.

“Next week we can practise parking,” says Kate. Ben writes the date in his diary. He is not nervous now — he is proud.

Key vocabulary (8 words)

lessonnoun: A period of time when you learn something.
instructornoun: A person who teaches a practical skill.
seatbeltnoun: A strap that keeps you safe in a car.
pedalnoun: A part you press with your foot to make a car go or stop.
mirrornoun: Glass that shows what is behind you.
beginnernoun: A person who is starting to learn something.
nervousadjective: Worried and a little afraid.
carefuladjective: Giving attention so you do not make a mistake.

Phrasal verbs in this story

slow down — To slow down means to move more slowly.

The grammar in this story

can and can’t for ability

“Ben can drive, but he can’t go fast yet.” Can expresses what someone is able to do. It stays identical for every subject — I can, she can, they can — and the following verb is always the bare base form: can drive, never can to drive or can driving.

cannot, can’t and the negative

The full form is cannot, written as one word, and it shortens to can’t in speech and informal writing. Both are correct; can not as two words is unusual and best avoided. Notice that the verb after it does not change either.

Imperatives for instructions

“Put on your seatbelt.” “Press the pedal slowly.” “Slow down at the corner.” The instructor uses bare imperatives, which is exactly right for teaching a physical skill. Two of them are phrasal verbs, where the small word changes the meaning completely.

yet in a negative sentence

“He can’t go fast yet.” Yet at the end of a negative means not now, but probably later. It carries real optimism, which is why it fits a first lesson. In positive sentences English uses already instead.

Phrases you can reuse today

I can drive, but not very well.: Can plus base verb, with a modest qualifier.
I can’t do it yet.: Yet signals that it will come with practice.
Put on your seatbelt.: A phrasal-verb imperative. Put on, not put.
Well done!: The most common short praise in British English.

Comprehension quiz

What is happening today?
- Ben’s first driving lesson
- A party
- A test at school
Show answer
Ben’s first driving lesson
How does Ben feel?
- Bored
- Nervous but excited
- Angry
Show answer
Nervous but excited
What does he put on first?
- His seatbelt
- His hat
- His gloves
Show answer
His seatbelt
“Slow down” means to…
- go more slowly
- stop the engine
- turn around
Show answer
go more slowly
“He can drive but can’t go fast” shows…
- ability
- the past
- a wish
Show answer
ability

Now use it yourself

Reading builds recognition; writing your own sentences is what turns it into something you can actually say. Three short tasks:

Write four things you can do well and two you cannot do yet.
Teach a simple skill in five imperative sentences.
How did you learn to do something difficult? Answer in three sentences.