Don't Vs Can't

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You have misunderstood me. This is not my question. My question is could you discuss with an example

1. why are not they (see and can see) interchangeable 'in idiomatic speech and writing' as you mentioned above?

2. And could you simplify your point 'We include "can" (or "could" in the past) even when it's not really needed'?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

roky0071
You have misunderstood me. This is not my question. My question is could you discuss with an example
1. why are not they (see and can see) interchangeable 'in idiomatic speech and writing' as you mentioned above?
2. And could you simplify your point 'We include "can" (or "could" in the past) even when it's not really needed'?

All of my remarks can be summarized like this:

With some verbs (for example, see, hear, smell, taste, remember, understand) the meaning with can and without can is the same. However, we say and write them with can much more often than we say or write them without can. The word can does not add extra meaning in these cases. It is simply customary to use can with these verbs.

1) I see the moon.
2) I can see the moon.

The meaning of 1 is the same as the meaning of 2, but native speakers almost always say 2. Another way of saying this is to say that 2 is more idiomatic than 1.

3) Do you smell something burning?
4) Can you smell something burning?

The meaning of 3 is the same as the meaning of 4, but native speakers almost always say 4. That is, 4 is more idiomatic than 3.

CJ

Don't Vs Can't

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