Why does my child add 'to' after can?

In Hebrew, the word for "able" keeps a "to" attached to the verb that follows it. English's "can" works differently — no "to" belongs there at all — so the Hebrew pattern leaks through.

Is 'can't' just short for 'cannot'?

Yes — "can't" is the everyday contracted form of "cannot," and both mean the same thing: not possible.

What's an easy way to practice at home?

Take turns saying real things you each can and can't do — swim, cook, whistle — always followed directly by the verb, with no "to" in between.

How does Maya teach this differently from a worksheet?

Maya has the child produce one full sentence with "can" and one with "can't," so the missing-"to" pattern gets caught in their own speech, not just spotted on a page.

EnglishGrade 6ages 11–12

💪 can / can't

Hebrew's way of saying "able" keeps a "to" attached to the verb that follows; English's "can" drops it entirely, and that missing word is the one that keeps slipping back in.

Updated September 22, 2026 · Maya Tutor

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What your child learns

can = possible now: I can jump.
can't = not possible: I can't fly.
After can comes a verb with no to: can swim, not can to swim.
Hebrew says able to-swim with the to glued onto the verb. English puts no to there at all.

The mistake most kids make here

Mixing can and can't, or adding to: can to swim.

Try one question

A bird. Which is right?

A bird

A bird can't fly
A bird can fly
A bird can to fly

Answer

A bird can fly — That's it. A bird can fly — can then a bare verb.

How Maya teaches it

Your child tells Maya what they did in class. She teaches this topic at her desk, asks questions with tappable answers, and when the answer is wrong she explains why that answer was tempting instead of saying “try again”. She remembers what did not land and comes back to it.

Your child has it when they can: Say one thing with can and one with can't.

How to help at home

"Can" means something is possible right now — I can jump. "Can't" means it isn't — I can't fly. Both are followed directly by a verb, with nothing in between.

In Hebrew, the equivalent of "able" keeps a "to" glued onto the next verb. English puts no "to" there at all — "can swim," never "can to swim."

Practice with a round of true statements: "I can ___" and "I can't ___," filled in with real things your child can or can't do, said out loud without the extra "to."

A good sign of mastery: they say one sentence with "can" and one with "can't," each followed directly by a bare verb, with no "to" slipping in.

Questions parents ask

Why does my child add 'to' after can?: In Hebrew, the word for "able" keeps a "to" attached to the verb that follows it. English's "can" works differently — no "to" belongs there at all — so the Hebrew pattern leaks through.
Is 'can't' just short for 'cannot'?: Yes — "can't" is the everyday contracted form of "cannot," and both mean the same thing: not possible.
What's an easy way to practice at home?: Take turns saying real things you each can and can't do — swim, cook, whistle — always followed directly by the verb, with no "to" in between.
How does Maya teach this differently from a worksheet?: Maya has the child produce one full sentence with "can" and one with "can't," so the missing-"to" pattern gets caught in their own speech, not just spotted on a page.

Try this lesson free

No card needed. The first lesson is free.

Download on the App Store

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Sources: English Curriculum 2020 for elementary school – Israeli Ministry of Education