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    B2 Course: Unit 58 - Modals (Permission & Requests)

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    Eugenia
    The document discusses modals used for permission and requests in English. It explains that can and may are used to give permission in the present or future, while could and was/were allowed are used for permission in the past. Can't, couldn't, and mustn't are used to refuse permission. Common expressions for asking permission include "Can I?", "Could I?", "May I?", and "Do you mind if...". Requests can also be made using if clauses, gerunds, or modals like "could" and "would".

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    B2 Course: Unit 58 - Modals (Permission & Requests)

    Uploaded by

    Eugenia
    33 views4 pages
    The document discusses modals used for permission and requests in English. It explains that can and may are used to give permission in the present or future, while could and was/were allowed are used for permission in the past. Can't, couldn't, and mustn't are used to refuse permission. Common expressions for asking permission include "Can I?", "Could I?", "May I?", and "Do you mind if...". Requests can also be made using if clauses, gerunds, or modals like "could" and "would".

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    B2 COURSE- Unit 58

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    The document discusses modals used for permission and requests in English. It explains that can and may are used to give permission in the present or future, while could and was/were allowed are used for permission in the past. Can't, couldn't, and mustn't are used to refuse permission. Common expressions for asking permission include "Can I?", "Could I?", "May I?", and "Do you mind if...". Requests can also be made using if clauses, gerunds, or modals like "could" and "would".

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    33 views4 pages

    B2 Course: Unit 58 - Modals (Permission & Requests)

    Uploaded by

    Eugenia
    The document discusses modals used for permission and requests in English. It explains that can and may are used to give permission in the present or future, while could and was/were allowed are used for permission in the past. Can't, couldn't, and mustn't are used to refuse permission. Common expressions for asking permission include "Can I?", "Could I?", "May I?", and "Do you mind if...". Requests can also be made using if clauses, gerunds, or modals like "could" and "would".

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    B2 COURSE

    Unit 58 - Modals (Permission & Requests)

    Modal verbs: 
    asking for, giving, refusing permission

    Present or Future Past Tense

    We use can when we give someone


    permission to do something: We use could to say that something was
    permitted in the past:
    You can bring a friend to the party if
    you want. Many years ago you could smoke in
    You can borrow my phone if your cinemas, but now it’s banned.
    battery is dead.

    1
    B2 COURSE
    Unit 58 - Modals (Permission & Requests)

    Present or Future Past Tense

    We also use may for permission. 


    May is more formal and is used less often We also use was / were allowed in the
    than can: past:
    We had to wear a tie at school, but
    Passengers may take one small bag on
    we were allowed to take it off in hot
    board the plane.
    weather.

    REFUSING PERMISSION REFUSING PERMISSION


    We use can’t to say that something isn’t
    We use couldn’t / wasn’t allowed to to
    permitted:
    say that something was not permitted in
    You can’t park here – it’s private the past:
    property.
    We couldn’t cross the border without
    He can’t drive my car – he doesn’t
    our passports.
    have insurance.

    2
    B2 COURSE
    Unit 58 - Modals (Permission & Requests)

    Must not / mustn’t is also used for permission, but is more formal. It is often used on signs and in
    announcements:

    Passengers must not speak to the driver while the bus is in motion.

    Asking for permission: Asking about the past:


    We use Can I? / Could I? / May I? to ask for We use was allowed to? Could you? to
    permission. ask if something was permitted in the
    past.
    1. Can is informal: Can I speak to John
    Wilson, please?
    Were you allowed to stay up late when
    you were a child?
    2. Could is more formal and polite: Could I
    Could you stay up late when you were
    speak to John Wilson, please? 
    a child?
    Could people travel between East and
    3. May is the most formal: May I speak to
    West Berlin during the Cold War?
    John Wilson, please?

    VIDEO - How to Ask Permission - CAN, COULD, MAY, DO YOU MIND

    When we are making a request, apart from modal verbs, we can also use ‘if clauses and gerunds’.

    1. Request with if clauses and the present tense

    Is it okay if ……..and Do you mind if ………..?  are followed by the present simple.

    Examples:

    Is it okay if I borrow your camera?


    Is it okay if you get married with me?
    Is it okay if she calls you tonight?
    Do you mind if I use your car?
    Do you mind if he drives you to work?

    3
    B2 COURSE
    Unit 58 - Modals (Permission & Requests)
    2. Request with if clauses and the past tense

    Would it be okay if ……….? Would you mind if…………? are followed by past tense.

    Examples:

    Would it be okay if I picked you up tonight?


    Would it be okay if I used your video camera?
    Would you mind if I came to your house?

    3. Request with Gerunds (-ing)

    Would you mind (without if) is followed by a gerund.

    Examples:

    Would you mind lending me your car?


    Would you mind doing the FCE next week?
    Would you  mind NOT forgetting your task conference call?

    4. Request with if clauses and Modals

    Wonder + if is followed by a modal

    Examples:

    I wonder if I could borrow some money?


    I was wondering if you would mind letting me use your car?

    Or, you can look at the picture below showing the position of request form from less to more formal.

    VIDEO - Requests with modals if clauses and gerunds

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