Modal verb - a verb (such as can, could, shall, should, ought to, will, or would) that is usually

used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission.

MODALS EXPRESSING PERMISSION

Modal verbs can be used to give or ask for permission. This modal
verbs for permission lesson shows you how to use may, can, and
could. Links to the exercises are at the bottom of the page.

These modal verbs show permission:

 May
 Can
 Could

May
May is a polite modal verb used to ask for permission. Here are some
examples:

 May I use a calculator on the test?

The polite answers using may are as follows:

 Yes, you may.

Could
Could is also used to ask for permission. It is less formal than using
may. Here are some examples with could:

 Could I have some more juice?

Can
Can is the least formal of the modal verbs used to ask permission.
Here are some examples with can:

 Can I play music?

The examples above are all with “I”. This is because it is most
common to ask permission for yourself. However, it is possible to ask
permission for another person:

 May she bring a friend?

The examples are also all questions. These are very common. But
you can also give permission. Here are some examples:

 You may sleep on the sofa.

activities

Which is correct?
  May I go to the mall?
  May I went to the mall?

Which is correct?
   Can she tries again?
  Can she try again?

hich is correct?
  She can have another glass.
  She can has another glass.

Which is correct?
  Can drive they the car?
  Can they drive the car?

Which is correct?
  May I borrow your bike?
  May I borrowing your bike?

hich is correct?
  Yes, she cans.
  Yes, she can.

Which is correct?
  May the children plays in the garden?
  May the children play in the garden?

Which is correct?
  You may stay here.
  You may stay here?

Which is correct?
  May I say something?
  May I say something.
  odals - P ermission <ul><li>Y ou can use ‘can’ to say that someone is allowed to do
something. You use ‘cannot’ to say that they are not allowed to do it.
</li></ul><ul><li>Students can take a year away from university. </li></ul><ul><li>Children
cannot bathe except in the presence of two lifesavers. </li></ul>
 3. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>Y ou can use ‘could’ to say that someone was allowed to do
something in the past. You use ‘could not’ or ‘couldn’t’ to say that they were not allowed to
 do it. </li></ul><ul><li>We could go to any part of the island we wanted.
</li></ul><ul><li>We couldn’t go into the library after 5 pm. </li></ul>
 4. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>Y ou also use ‘be allowed to’ when you are talking about
permission, but not if you are asking for it or giving it. </li></ul><ul><li>When Mr Wilt asks for
a solicitor he will be allowed to see one. </li></ul><ul><li>You ’re not allowed to use
calculators during the exam. </li></ul>
 5. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>I n more formal situations, ‘may’ is used to say that
someone is allowed to do something, and ‘may not’ is used to say that they are not allowed
to do it. </li></ul><ul><li>They may do exactly as they like. </li></ul><ul><li>The retailer may
not sell the book below the publisher’s price. </li></ul>
 6. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>W hen you want to give someone permission to do
something, you use ‘can’. </li></ul><ul><li>You can borrow that pen if you want to.
</li></ul><ul><li>You can go off duty now. </li></ul><ul><li>She can go with you. </li></ul>
 7. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>‘ M ay’ is also used to give permission, but this is more
formal. </li></ul><ul><li>You may speak. </li></ul><ul><li>You may leave as soon as you
are finished. </li></ul>
 8. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>W hen you want to refuse someone permission to do
something, you use ‘cannot’, ‘can’t’, ‘will not’, ‘won’t’, ‘shall not’, or ‘shan’t’. </li></ul><ul><li>‘
Can I have some sweets?’ - ‘No, you can’t !’ </li></ul><ul><li>‘ I’ll go upstairs’ - ‘You will
not !’ </li></ul><ul><li>You shan’t leave without my permission. </li></ul>
 9. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>W hen you are asking for permission to do something, you
use ‘can’ or ‘could’. </li></ul><ul><li>If you ask in a very direct and simple way, you use
‘can’. </li></ul><ul><li>Can I ask a question? </li></ul><ul><li>Can we have something to
wipe or hands on, please? </li></ul>
 10. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>‘ C ould’ is more polite than ‘can’. </li></ul><ul><li>Could I
just interrupt a minute? </li></ul><ul><li>Could we put this fire on? </li></ul>
 11. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>‘ M ay’ is also used to ask permission, but this is more
formal. </li></ul><ul><li>May I have a cigarette? </li></ul>
 12. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>‘ M ight’ is rather old-fashioned and is not often used in
modern English in this way. </li></ul><ul><li>Might I inquire if you are the owner? </li></ul>
 13. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>Y ou have to use ‘be allowed to’ instead of a modal if you
are using another modal, or if you want to use an ‘-ing’ form, a past participle or a ‘to’-
infinitive. </li></ul><ul><li>Teachers will be allowed to decide for themselves.
</li></ul><ul><li>I am strongly in favor of people being allowed to put on plays. </li></ul>
 14. M odals - P ermission <ul><li>They have not been allowed to come.
</li></ul><ul><li>We are going to be allowed to travel on the trains. </li></ul>
 15. Q uestions? For more slide presentations visit:

Exercises

1. You’re a child and you formally ask a teacher for permission to leave the room.
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2. You ask your mum for permission to go to a party tonight. You are polite but don’t use ‘may’.
________________________________________________________________________

3. You ask for permission not to come early tomorrow. You’re feeling informal.
________________________________________________________________________

4. You tell your colleague that hypothetically he has permission to come in later tomorrow, but it would
really be a problem.
________________________________________________________________________

5. You tell your friend that there is a rule against wearing jewellery at school. Don’t use ‘mustn’t’.
________________________________________________________________________

6. Say that he (your employee) has hypothetical permission to go home early if he finished all the work
first. ________________________________________________________________________

7. Tell your colleague that it’s not allowed to bring a friend.

8. Tell your friend that everyone has permission to wear any kind of socks to school.
________________________________________________________________________

9. Say that no one has permission to smoke on the tube. Don't use 'can't' or 'be not allowed to'.
________________________________________________________________________

10. Ask for permission to finish your essay next week. Use a polite negative question.
________________________________________________________________________

11. Ask if John had hypothetical permission in the past to do the report.
________________________________________________________________________

12. Ask for permission to not attend the meeting. You’re feeling polite.
________________________________________________________________________

13. Tell someone that last week you had permission to finish work early.
________________________________________________________________________

14. Ask your friend if you have permission to borrow some money. Use an informal negative question.
________________________________________________________________________

15. Ask for permission not to call John. Use informal language.
________________________________________________________________________

16. Explain that when you were little, you didn’t have permission to watch TV in the morning.
________________________________________________________________________

17. Tell someone that she has permission to take a bottle of water into the exam. You’re a teacher
speaking to a student formally.
________________________________________________________________________
18. Explain that yesterday the children had permission to wear their own clothes to school.
________________________________________________________________________

19. Ask a friend for permission to use her phone. Be informal.

20. Tell your child that hypothetically, she has permission to have another ice cream but you think it will
make her sick. ________________________________________________________________________

Answers to Modals of Permission Exercise

1. May I leave the room?

2. Could I go to the party tonight?

3. Can I not come early tomorrow?

4. You could come in later tomorrow, but it would really be a problem.

5. You can’t wear jewellery at school.

6. He could go home early if he finished all the work first.

7. You can’t bring a friend.

8. You can wear any kind of socks to school.

9. You mustn’t smoke on the tube.

10. Couldn’t I finish my essay next week?

11. Could John have done the report?

12. Could I not attend the meeting?

13. Last week, I was allowed to finish work early.

14. Can’t I borrow some money?

15. Can I not call John?

16. When I was little, I couldn’t watch TV in the morning.

17. You may take a bottle of water into the exam.

18. Yesterday, the children were allowed to wear their own clothes to school.

19. Can I use your phone?

20. You could have another ice cream, but I think it will make you sick