Course on Expressing Permission - TOEIC® Preparation
Whether it's to ask, grant, or refuse permission, modals play a key role in daily, professional, or academic interactions. This course explores the main modals can, could, and may, as well as alternative expressions like be allowed to and have the right to, to help you choose the most appropriate expression according to the context.
1. Pure Modals for Expressing Permission
A. "Can" for Expressing Permission
Can is the most common and direct modal for expressing permission in English. It is used both in spoken and written language, in a casual or informal register.
Here's how to use it:
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Affirmative | You can leave early if you want. |
| Negative | Can I use your phone, please? |
| Interrogative | You can't (cannot) park your car here. |
B. "Could" for Expressing Permission
Primarily, could is the past form of can and thus allows expressing permission in the past. However, could can also be used in other contexts, notably to politely ask for permission or to express hypothetical permission in a conditional situation.
Permission in the Past:
- When I was a student, I could stay out as late as I wanted.
Requesting Permission (Politely):
- Could I leave the meeting a bit earlier?
- Could you help me with this task, please?
In this case, although the request is made with could, the natural response uses can or common permission expressions.
Hypothetical Permission (Conditional)
Could is often used to express permission that would be granted in a specific situation but is not yet real. This introduces a conditional nuance.
- You could take a day off if your manager approves it.
- If we finish the project early, we could leave work at 3 PM.
In this context, could expresses a possibility dependent on a condition. It is important to note that could does not directly grant permission but implies that it would be possible under certain conditions.
To learn more about the conditional, click here
C. "May" for Expressing Permission
May is the most formal modal for expressing permission. It is therefore used in professional, academic contexts or situations that require a certain level of politeness.
Generally, may is rarely used in informal spoken situations, but it remains very relevant in a professional or formal setting, such as during an interview or a conversation with a superior.
Here's how to use it:
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Affirmative | You may start the test now. |
| Interrogative | May I come in? |
| Negative | You may not leave the office without permission. |
May vs Might
Although might is very often associated with probability rather than permission, it can sometimes be used for an extremely polite and especially hypothetical request for permission. However, this remains rare in spoken language in a direct request context.
- Might I ask for a moment of your time?
This form is rather literary or very formal, and much less frequent in standard everyday or professional language.
2. Alternative Expressions for Expressing Permission
A. "Be allowed to" for Expressing Permission
Be allowed to generally translates to "have permission to." This construction is very frequently used in writing and allows expressing permission more explicitly, especially when talking about rules, regulations, or more formal situations.
The expression be allowed to can be conjugated in all tenses (was allowed to, will be allowed to, etc.), making it very practical for expressing permission at different times (past, present, future).
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Affirmative | I am allowed to take a day off every month. |
| Interrogative | Are we allowed to bring our own devices to the training session? |
| Negative | They are not allowed to leave the country without a visa. |
B. "Have the right to" / "Have permission to" for Expressing Permission
Although less frequent in everyday language, these expressions also allow expressing permission, often in a legal, contractual, or institutional context.
- Employees have the right to request a pay raise.
- She has permission to film in this location.
3. Comparison of Modal Structures for Expressing Permission
| Context | Modals/Expressions | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Casual Language (Informal) | Can, Can't | Can you open the window? You can take a break if you want. |
| Polite / Formal Language | Could, May | Could you please forward me the email? May I ask a question? |
| Emphasis on Legality or Formality | Be allowed to, Have the right to, Have permission to | Are we allowed to park here? You have the right to remain silent. |
Other Courses on Modals
To learn more about modals, you can read our various courses on the subject:
- 🔗 Overview on Modals for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing Ability for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing Obligation for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing Prohibition for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing No Obligation for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing Advice for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing Suggestion and Proposal for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing Intention or Near Future for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing Probability and Uncertainty for TOEIC®
- 🔗 Course on Expressing Preference and Wish for TOEIC®