Exercises/ Modal verbs of permission

Exercises

Modal verbs of permission quiz

Asking for permission, making polite requests and talking about what is allowed – now, in the past and in the future. Practise can, could, may and be allowed to with business examples.

Quick rules

can

Permission now – normal and informal.

You can use the meeting room after 3.

could / may

More polite requests. ‘May’ is the most formal.

May I ask a question about the budget?

couldn’t you…?

Putting polite pressure on someone.

Couldn’t you give us a better price?

could (past)

General permission in the past.

Before 2020, we could work from home on Fridays.

was / were allowed to

Permission on one specific occasion in the past.

After two hours, we were finally allowed to enter the site.

be allowed to

After other verbs and in the future.

Will we be allowed to bring our own laptops?

Requests and asking for permission
Permission in the past
After other verbs and in the future

1. Requests and asking for permission

Polite, formal – or putting on a little pressure?

1Excuse me, I ask a question about the budget? (in a formal meeting)

maymustshould

2 you give me a hand with these boxes, please? (to a visitor you don’t know)

CouldMustShould

3 you give us a better price? (putting some pressure on a supplier)

Couldn’tMustn’tShouldn’t

4I’m not sure if we park here – I don’t want to get a fine.

cancould havemust

5(Writing to a client you don’t know well) you send us the signed contract by Friday?

CouldMustCan’t

2. Permission in the past

General permission or one specific occasion?

1When I started at the bank in the 1990s, we smoke in the office.

cancould

2After waiting for two hours at reception, we finally go into the factory.

couldwere allowed to

3Before the merger, staff (be allowed) to work from home on Fridays.

4Until last year, employees book business class on long-haul flights.

cancould

5The auditors (not / be allowed) to see the documents until the CEO had signed them.

3. After other verbs and in the future

‘Can’ has no future or infinitive form – so we use ‘be allowed to’.

1Do you think we will bring our own laptops to the exam?

cancouldbe allowed to

2If we show our badges, we should go into the VIP area.

cancouldbe allowed to

3I’d like to work from home two days a week.

canbe allowed tocould

4From next month, visitors (be allowed) to park in the staff car park.

5Contractors use the main entrance – they have to use the side door.

aren’t allowed tocouldn’tmustn’t to

Check a section to see your score here.

More practice

Modal verbsPossibilitymust, can’t, might, should Modal verbsCan or could?Ability, possibility, requestsModal verbsMust or have to?Obligation, past and future forms

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