[Grammar] Using 'can - and/or/but'

[Its_dave]

Hello,

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this - I'm teaching this to beginner teens, so really looking to clarify my understanding.

I know - "I can play football and I can play tennis" is correct, as is "I can't play football but I can play tennis" is correct.
Also, "I can't play football or tennis" is correct and "I can't play football and tennis" is not correct (as it implies playing football and tennis at the same time)

But I'm not sure about: "I can play football and tennis" - I think it's ok and means the same as ("I can play football and I can play tennis"), but I'm confusing myself with the negative term of both implying at the same time (eg. I can play football while playing tennis).

I think I would say "I can play football and tennis", but a sentence like "I can sing and dance" may be understood as singing and dancing together.


Thank you in advance!

 

[jutfrank]

I don't think anyone would interpret I can play football and tennis to mean 'I can play football and tennis at the same time'.

Unlike singing and dancing, football and tennis cannot be done simultaneously.

 

[Tdol]

I don't see much wrong with I can't play football and tennis. The criticism of it sounds like the grammar police at work- forcing somewhat artificial distinctions that many native speakers would simply ignore.