Modals : Permission

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​At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1.     Identify modals and its structures.

2.     Classify modals according to its grammatical form used in expressing permission.

3.     Compose clear and coherent sentences and dialogs using modals.

4.     Make relevant statements using modals.

​Think of things that we are permitted to do in school.

​The modal verbs include can, must, may, might, will, would, should. They are used with other verbs to express permission, ability, obligation, possibility, and so on.

Modals (also called modal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special verbs which behave irregularly in English.

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How do you ask permission in order for you to be allowed to do something or to go somewhere? How do you grant or deny a request asked to you by your friend or family member?

​The modal verbs (or modals for short) of permission are can, could and may. These modals all have the same basic meaning, but some are more formal than others.

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We use can to ask for permission to do something. ​It is the least formal of these verbs. We use it when we are asking a friend or someone we know for something in an informal situation.

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• Can I ask a question, please?

• Can we go home now?

• ​Can I have some cookies?

​Could is more formal and polite than can. We can use it in more formal situations, like talking to a boss or a stranger, or to ask for something more important.

• ​Could I ask a question, please?

• Could we go home now?

• ​Could you tell me the way to the town center, please?

May is another more formal and polite way of asking for permission.

• May I ask a question, please?

• May we go home now?

​We use can to give permission:

• You can go home now.

• You can borrow my pen if you like.

​May is a more formal and polite way of giving permission:

• You may go home now.

​We use can to say that someone has permission to do something:

• We can go out whenever we want.

• Students can travel for free.

​May is a more formal and polite way of saying that someone has permission.

• Students may travel for free.

​We use can't and may not to refuse permission or say that someone does not have permission:

• You can't go home yet.

• Students may not travel for free.