A Guide to Giving and Receiving Permission
Whether in informal situations or more professional settings, the vocabulary and expressions used for asking for and granting permission should be known by all students.
We've prepared a guide to help you present this crucial English to your students in a simple and straightforward way. We've also included some examples to demonstrate how these words and phrases are used. Feel free to add your own examples or explanations as needed in your lessons.
Asking for permission
We'll begin with a list of basic words and phrases for asking for permission.
Can
- Can I pet your dog?
Do you mind … ?
- Do you mind if I sit here?
Is it OK if … ?
- Is it OK if we turn the music up a little louder?
May … ?
- May I have your name, please?
Would you mind if … ?
- Would you mind if we shared this picture of you on our social media channels?
Would it be possible for … ?
- Would it be possible for me to interview you for my school assignment?
Could I (possibly) … ?
- Could I possibly borrow your pen for a moment?
Might I … ?
- Might I ask you for recommendations for a good restaurant near here?
Verbs for giving permission
As opposed to simply asking for permission, the following words can be used to talk about permission in a wider variety of ways.
- Let
- Allow
- Permit
- Grant
The only difference between these four is the level of formality, with "let" being the least formal and "permit" and "grant" being the most.
- My parents won't let me drive the family car until I pass my driver's test.
- The old man doesn't allow anyone to enter his private property.
- Smoking is permitted only in special areas.
- A gold membership grants access to exclusive privileges.
A few extra things to note
As in the last example above, students should be aware that these words aren't limited to permission given by people; they can also refer to non-living things like objects or even concepts.
- The program won't let me print the document. What's wrong?
- These special glasses allow you to look at the eclipse without damaging your eyes.
- Her fame grants her special treatment at some of the finest restaurants and hotels.
While "let" is usually followed by both a pronoun and a verb ("let us enter," "let me leave," etc.), it can be followed by a pronoun only if it comes at the end of a sentence.
- Jane can't come out tonight because her mom won't let her.
With and without an apostrophe
Although they won't need to think about it in spoken English, be sure to point out when an apostrophe is necessary in writing.
Lets (no apostrophe) = Present simple form of "let"
- This pass lets you ride the bus as many times as you want in one week.
Let's (with apostrophe) = "Let us" as used in invitations and suggestions
- Let's go out for dinner tonight.
More formal terms for permission
Authorize
Meaning: give permission to do or access something
- Has your supervisor authorized this request?
- The junior employee was not authorized to speak to journalists about the situation.
Agree to / Consent to
Meaning: to accept or allow
- The client agreed to our price, so now we have a deal.
- The actor consented to his image being used in the ad campaign.
We also say "have (someone's) consent."
- Do I have your consent to begin the project?
Get someone’s approval
Meaning: be told that it is OK to do something
- We need to get our supervisor's approval for this budget before we can spend any money.
- I want to get my partner's approval before I make a decision.
Give one’s blessing (to)
Meaning: say it is OK to do something
- Max has given us his blessing to use his equipment as long as necessary.
Idioms for permission
Give the OK (to)
- Has the head office given us the OK to start construction?
(Get the) green light
- We're just waiting for the green light from the boss before we get started.
It can also be used as a verb.
- The project's been green lit, so let's begin.
Discussion questions
Here are a few discussion questions to give your students an opportunity to try out some of these words and phrases.
- At what age can people in your country drive/drink alcohol/vote?
- Please explain some of the rules at your school/company.
- What are some things people visiting your country should know about the local culture (i.e,. What is allowed and not allowed)?
- Did you have any special rules you had/have to follow in your childhood home?
- Are there any rules that you feel are too strict that you would like to change?
Wrap-up
Understanding the different nuances of permission can help students communicate much more effectively in both formal and informal settings. Simple phrases like "May I" and "Would you mind" are great to begin with, but they should aim to master more verbs and the idioms common in higher levels of communication in order to handle a wide range of situations confidently.
