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Feb 18, 2011 · As a non-native speaker, I feel that it is ridiculous that can and can't could sound so similar in American accent. Just now, I was just listening to a video in which the speaker with an American accent says. Fat cells can't reproduce themselves. The speaker dragged the word "can't" longer for emphasis, but perhaps as a result, what I heard at ...
Dec 26, 2013 · Can't you pick up the kids from church? This is a quick question stated in simplest terms. And it is stated in a positive way that, on its own, sounds as if the person asking it just needs clarification on something that has been previously discussed or acknowledged in some way, shape, or form.
Aug 20, 2012 · 1. Can't is less formal than cannot. That's the only difference. – Robusto. Aug 20, 2012 at 14:27. 5. I would personally insist on using cannot where the emphasis is on 'not': using can't in such a case would kind of drown out the more significant 'not' part. @Robusto I suspect it is not that simple (actually, hope not).
Sep 18, 2014 · There are other explanations for poor impulse control, including the obvious: you want to be rude. Explaining my poor manners, I may explain to her, "I can't help staring at that beautiful necklace" or "I can't help but ask how you managed to get home after your car was stolen." The two forms, with and without but, are equivalent.
Dec 1, 2014 · That can't have been Tom - he was in Japan. That couldn't have been Tom - he was in Japan. (These are used to mean that the speaker didn't believe that.) Similarly, please take a look at the examples below: Tom can't be moving the furniture upstairs - he's at work right now. Tom couldn't be moving the furniture upstairs - he's at work right now.
In day to day conversation "I don't drive" and "I can't drive" are taken to mean exactly the same, eg. the inability to drive. However "can't" conveys the definite fact of not having the skill, whereas "don't" implies the ability to drive but leaves open the possibility of being unable to drive for some other reason.
Basically "I can't seem to [whatever]" means that the speaker is justifying an unexpected request, explaining why a situation which would normally not exist, does exist. It implies that the speaker expects the listener to be surprised by the statement. It may seem complicated until you look at the opposite.
Jun 15, 2011 · However, can't is also acceptable if the situation changes: "You can't use your mobile phone while you're driving. It's against the law." This time I am driving in my car but I have a friend sitting next to me, and (s)he reminds me that I am breaking the law. (S)he does not have any authority over me, we are equal.
Dec 14, 2015 · 1. Strictly speaking, "I can't not do X" means "I am unable not to do X". In this context, your sentence could be paraphrased as "I am unable to not get the song out of my head", or more simply " I can't keep the song in my head. However, double negatives are often, although incorrectly, used in English to signify negatives.
Apr 27, 2012 · "I can't agree with you more" To say that "I can't agree with you more" means you fully and absolutely agree with someone. You can't possibly agree with them more than you already are with this person. 100% agreement with everything said person is saying. "I can't agree with you any more" This sentence is kind of the same as the last one.
