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plCommon errors
The three modal verbs 能, 会/會 and 可以, are frequently used in similar contexts and are mostly not distinguished when translated into Western languages (for example, “can” in English), which may cause confusion among learners.
The possible mistakes learners might make can be categorized into the following three types:
1. Syntactic error
Incorrect position: Learners might place 能, 会 and 可以 in the wrong position in more complex sentences, such as in A-not-A questions, in sentences with prepositional phrases or bǎ-constructions.
*你能去不去帮我买东西？
你能不能去帮我买东西？
*我给奶奶不会打电话。
*你把你的学习方法可以不可以给我们介绍一下儿？
你可以不可以把你的学习方法给我们介绍一下儿？
*你能去不去幫我買東西？
你能不能去幫我買東西？
*我給奶奶不會打電話。
*你把你的學習方法可以不可以給我們介紹一下兒？
你可以不可以把你的學習方法給我們介紹一下兒？
2. Semantic errors
Due to overlapping functions and translations, learners often use 能, 会 and 可以 wrongly. When comparing the modal verbs, it is important to remind the learners that 能, 会 and 可以 have different connotations: When translated as “can”, 能 is commonly used to indicate the possession of an ability, whereas 会 implies a learned or acquired ability. The modal verb 可以 is typically used when giving or asking for permission.
2.1 Confusion of 能 and 会 while expressing ability and capability
For explanations, see here: Modal verb néng 能 ‘can’, huì 会 ‘can; know how to’ and kěyǐ 可以‘may, can, be allowed to’ )
While expressing ability or capability, learners often form such sentences:
*我的手机会上网，电脑不会上网。
我的手机能上网，电脑不能上网。
*哥哥会喝十杯可乐。
哥哥能喝十杯可乐。
*我的手機會上網，電腦不會上網。
我的手機能上網，電腦不能上網。
*哥哥會喝十杯可樂。
哥哥能喝十杯可樂。
2.2 Confusion of 能 and 可以 both expressing possibility
For explanations, see here: Modal verb néng 能 ‘can’, huì 会 ‘can; know how to’ and kěyǐ 可以‘may, can, be allowed to’ )
The modal verbs 能 and 可以 can be used in “possibility-requiring” questions. Problems for learners often occur when they respond to questions containing one of these modal verbs.
A：你能教大家说英语吗？
B：*能/不能。
B：可以/行 or 不行。
A：你可以不可以教大家说英语？
B：*不可以。
B：不行。
A：你能教大家說英語嗎？
B：*能/不能。
B：可以/行 or 不行。
A：你可以不可以教大家說英語？
B：*不可以。
B：不行。
2.3 Confusion of 能 and 可以 when expressing permission
For explanations, see here: Modal verb néng 能 ‘can’, huì 会 ‘can; know how to’ and kěyǐ 可以‘may, can, be allowed to’ )
Some learners may use 能 to answer “permission-requiring” questions, like:
A：请问，我能在这儿吃东西吗？/ 我可以在这儿吃东西吗？
B：*能/不能。
B：可以 or 不行。
A：請問，我能在這兒喫東西嗎？/ 我可以在這兒喫東西嗎？
B：*能/不能。
B：可以 or 不行。
2.4 Confusion between 能 and potential complement (可能补语)
This is another common mistake learners often make after they learn the potential complement, which also indicates a possibility.
我能听懂老师说的话。
我听得懂老师说的话。
他不能进去。≠ 他进不去。
我能聽懂老師說的話。
我聽得懂老師說的話。
他不能進去。≠ 他進不去。
When indicating possibility in an affirmative sentence, 能 and the potential complement are sometimes interchangeable. However, in a negation or interrogative sentence, 能 is often used in connection with “allowance” or “permission.” A potential complement, on the other hand, is used to indicate the situational possibility of realizing the action of the verb. In the examples above, 他不能进去 means that he is not allowed to go in, while 他进不去 means that he tries to enter somewhere but fails because external circumstances such as too many people inside or a locked door prevent him from entering.
3. Errors caused by native transfer
能 is usually translated as “can” in English. However, English can can express up to 11 different meanings, and this degree of polysemy is confusing for students. English can is also used in textbooks to translate these three modal verbs. Therefore, native English learners easily confuse 能 with 会 and 可以.
Classroom activity:
- Talking about personal situations or hobbies: 你的同学会不会说法语？你的同学会打网球吗？ 谁(不)会做中国菜？你能喝几杯啤酒？
- Asking for permissions：如果你家没有人，你的朋友可以进去吗？你现在能不能给大家你的手机号码？
In the previous example, 上网 is not a “learned skill” of the mobile phone. 喝十杯可乐 ‘drink ten glasses of Coke’ as an object of 会喝also does not convey the sense of ‘can drink’ because being able to drink a certain amount is due to one’s physical constitution and not a learned skill. Instead, the use of 会 in this sentence is perceived as “my elder brother will drink ten glasses of Coke”, because 会 can be used to indicate a future event (see grammar会: indicating prediction or belief about a future event.)
To avoid confusing learners when comparing modal verbs, first focus on affirmative forms and provide unambiguous contexts. Here are some example sentences for comparison:
妹妹会写汉字，因为她学过。
(highlight: the sense of “learned” ability or skill)
中国人都能写汉字，对不对？
(highlight: the sense of “possession of a certain ability”)
Tell the students that when talking about an ability or a capability in the sense of a (learned) skill, they should use 会. Provide frequently used unambiguous collocations, for example, 会说一种语言、会开车、会跳舞、会唱歌……. Remind the students that these phrases can be modified by degree adverbs and degree adverbial phrases such as 很、真、不太, etc.
Q：十岁的孩子可以不可以喝酒？A：不行。
Q：二十岁的人呢？A：可以。
Q：考试的时候可以用手机吗？A：可以/不行。
Q：你现在能写一个你喜欢的汉字吗？A：可以/行/不行。
Néng 能 is also commonly used to indicate that something is objectively possible (or impossible) in the context of a specific situation or reason that is explicitly mentioned. Learners may make the mistake of using 可以 here:
*弟弟生病了，所以今天不可以来上课。
弟弟生病了，所以今天不能来上课。
他受伤了，所以不能走路。
他受伤了，医生说他不可以走路。
我最近没有时间跟女朋友见面，只能打电话。
*我最近没有时间跟女朋友见面，只可以打电话。(this sentence is not acceptable, because the speaker doesn’t need any permission to call the girlfriend)
Q：上课的时候，学生可以喝水吗？A：可以。
Q：上课的时候，学生可以睡觉吗？A：不行。
Some learners may use 能 for a suggestion:
*如果你不想回家，能来我家。
如果你不想回家，可以来我家。
*渴了吗？你能喝这杯水。
渴了吗？你可以喝这杯水。
Teacher: 我现在觉得很不舒服，你们觉得我可以做什么？
Students: 你可以去看医生/休息/吃药/睡觉……
A student asks the teacher whether his friend is allowed to come into the classroom. He may say:
老师，他能进来吗？
The door of the classroom is locked. A student standing outside the classroom tries to open the door. The other students in the classroom may ask:
老师，他进得来吗？
A similar example is:
门太小，我进不去。
里面正在开会，你不能进去。
Remind the students that not all of the potential complement patterns can be used interchangeably with能, for example 吃得下、买得起、跑不动.