You’re a child and you formally ask a teacher for permission to leave the room.
May I leave the room?
You ask your mum for permission to go to a party tonight. You are polite but don’t use ‘may’.
Could I go to the party tonight?
You ask for permission not to come early tomorrow. You’re feeling informal.
Can I not come early tomorrow?
You tell your colleague that hypothetically he has permission to come in later tomorrow, but it would really be a problem.
You could come in later tomorrow, but it would really be a problem.
You tell your friend that there is a rule against wearing jewellery at school. Don’t use ‘mustn’t’.
You can’t wear jewellery at school.
Say that he (your employee) has hypothetical permission to go home early if he finished all the work first.
He could go home early if he finished all the work first.
Tell your colleague that it’s not allowed to bring a friend.
You can’t bring a friend.
Tell your friend that everyone has permission to wear any kind of socks to school.
You can wear any kind of socks to school.
Say that no one has permission to smoke on the tube. Don't use 'can't' or 'be not allowed to'
You mustn’t smoke on the tube.
Ask for permission to finish your essay next week. Use a polite negative question.
Couldn’t I finish my essay next week?
Ask if John had hypothetical permission in the past to do the report
Could John have done the report?
Ask for permission to not attend the meeting. You’re feeling polite.
Could I not attend the meeting?
Tell someone that last week you had permission to finish work early.
Last week, I was allowed to finish work early.
Ask your friend if you have permission to borrow some money. Use an informal negative question.
Can’t I borrow some money?
Ask for permission not to call John. Use informal language.
Can I not call John?
Explain that when you were little, you didn’t have permission to watch TV in the morning.
When I was little, I couldn’t watch TV in the morning
