Hi.. this is Ceema and I am back with a new lesson on expressions using the word 'Can't'
{10 Idiomatic Expressions with the modal verb “can’t”}
Now can't is a contraction of the word cannot meaning that when you use the
word can't you use it in a negative sentence, right? So I believe that the
expressions using this word are going to be quite interesting. Let's have a look
at a few of them. The first one is - You can't be bothered. Okay, when I use the
expression 'Can't be bothered' in a sentence, what does that mean? It means
that something is not important, so it's not important enough for your attention
or there is something that you don't have the time, you've got no time or you
don't have the interest. So, you've no time or no interest or to do it or to say it perhaps
someone may be a friend of yours invited you to a game of football and
you think that playing football is not important enough for your.... for your
attention or you don't have the time or the interest to do that, so you will
say - I can't be bothered to spend my afternoon playing football, I'd rather do
some work instead, okay. So that's the way you will use this expression using the
word 'Can't'. The next one is - 'Can't tell' Okay this expression 'Can't tell' can
have two different meanings - when you use the word can't tell with the words
if or whether
then this expression basically means that you can't understand, you can't
observe or you can't perceive you can't see very clearly you can't observe or
perceive. So, suppose you are in the darkroom okay, or in a room which is not
very well lit and there is a beautiful dress okay, but you can't tell or you can't
understand or observe or perceive the difference between the color blue and
black because the room is not very well lit so you will say something like - I can't
tell if this dress is blue or black because you can't see very clearly, you can't
understand that very clearly, right? So when you use the expression 'Can't tell'
with if or whether following this expression then this is what the meaning
comes out to be for this expression but if this expression is used without this
if you use only this expression it basically means you can't give out
information basically you are not allowed to give out information so if
someone asked you a question about... you know... your private life and you will say
I'm sorry I can tell you it's confidential so that basically means
that you can't or you refused to give out certain kind of information
okay so depending on whether you are using the 'Can't tell' with the 'if and whether or
if you are using it by itself the meaning is going to be different
okay! The next one is - When you can't carry a tune
the word tune refers to music
okay when you say you can't carry a tune, you're basically saying that
someone or maybe yourself you have no musical ability which means when you
saying you know there is a very high probability that people are going to run
out... you know... the rats are gonna be screaming okay, well so can't carry a tune is
someone who has less or basically no musical ability he can't
really... you know.... sing a note on its tune, he can really sing at all
okay, that's what it means. And the next expression 'Can't Wait' is an expression
you use when you are very eager or very excited for something to take place
okay, so I can say something like - I can't wait to travel to New York for my
vacation this year because you are very eager you are very excited for that
event to take place
okay, and the next one is - When you can't get enough of something, Can't get enough
basically is an expression to show that you want more, you want more and more
of something. This can refer to some people who are addicted to a thing a person or a
specific event perhaps, so if you like a singer like Nicki Minaj your love
listening to her songs so you can see something like I can't get enough of
Niki Minaj... you know... I can't get enough of ice cream because you love ice cream
you want more and more of it, okay nothing is ever enough for you as far as that thing is
concerned because you really love it a lot
Alright, now moving on to the next expression using the word can't is a very
common expression called - Can't stand
now 'Can't stand' is basically an expression you use when you are talking about
something that annoys you or something that irritates you okay, something that annoys you or
irritates you it's something that you can't and you will not stand, right? Now
this expression can be used in two different ways
in both the ways it's gonna have the same meaning, but the first way of
using 'Can't Stand' is when you say Can't stand followed by a noun for example you can
say - I can't stand cigarette smoke. So cigarette smoke is my noun.
or you can say - I can't stand .. a noun like say... my brother, I can't stand my brother, why?
because he annoys me, he irritates me. The other way of using 'Can't stand' is
when you use 'Can't stand' followed by 'it' which is again followed by 'when' plus any
situation that you want to talk about. So you can say something like - I can't
stand it when I have to wait in line for the bus. So, I have used the word 'Can't stand'
by the word 'it' followed by another word called 'when' and then I put in a
situation. I can't stand it when people scream or yell at me
I can't stand it when I have to wait very long to get what I want, okay. So, two
different ways of using the expression 'Can't stand' which have the same meaning but
two different ways of using it, okay.
The next one is - When you 'Can't bear' something, so 'Can't bear' basically means you get
you are extremely sad or something is very difficult for you to endure or to
go through, okay. So you can say something like - I can't bear to look at dogs who
are on the road who are dying or who don't get enough to eat because you feel
extremely sad or it's difficult for you to bare or endure the thought of
looking at dogs who are hungry or starving on the road
that's what 'Can't bear' is, when you can't endure it, when you feel sad about
something. The next one is - When you 'Can't help' something... can't help is basically an
expression used when you want to convey the message saying that ...you can't
prevent or shall we say you can't stop prevent or stop something happening.
or you can't prevent or stop feeling in a certain way.So, if I'm talking about
not being able to stop or not being able to prevent from something
happening I can say something like - I can't help putting the brakes
on time because my car is faulty. The engine of my car is faulty. So you can't prevent
your car from skidding perhaps right? because of something that is wrong with
your car but if you can't help feeling in a certain way you can say something like -
The boy couldn't help falling in love with the girl because she was very beautiful.
right? So, 'Can't help' is basically
used when you are talking about a feeling that ....you know ...that you can't
really do anything about or a thing from happening which can be stopped
alright, and the next one is - when you can't beat something, so can't beat is an
expression you use when something best takes place or an event which is the
best happens so there's nothing that can top it off
okay, so for example you can say that -Our vacation at the beach
nothing can beat that or you can't beat that, right? so you can't beat basically
is an expression you use when you're talking about an event which is the best
event that can actually take place with yourself
okay and the last expression using this word is 'Can't thank you enough'
well! the word 'Thank' talks about gratitude or feeling very thankful when you use that
expression you are basically expressing your deepest gratitude to a person to a
company to people who have helped you through your difficult times or who have done
something very good for you so you can say something like- I can't thank you
enough for helping me when I had a financial need.
So basically these are the main expressions using the word 'Cant'. I hope
you found them very interesting and very informative, I will be back with some more
lessons until then this is me saying goodbye...