What I Need to Know

This module provides varied activities that will help you learn about modals for expressing
permission.
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
• identify the modal in the sentences;
• distinguish the importance of asking and expressing permission using modal in real-life
situations; and
• create a story using modals.

What I Know

Instructions: Supply the appropriate modal to complete the sentences below. Choose
from the modals may, can, could, must, should, might, and have to.

1. This bag is too heavy for you. _____ I help you?

2. You_____ not smoke here.
3. _____ you turn on the lights, please?
4. _____ you help me with the cleaning?
5. _____ I borrow your laptop tonight?
6. It is raining heavily. You _____ take my umbrella.
7. Before the Covid 19 Pandemic, teenagers _____ go out and spend time with their
peers.
8. Visitors ____ not come in without a mask.
9. He _____ not drive my car if he doesn't have a license yet.
10. You _____ play with the neighbors, after you wash the dishes.
11. You _____ answer the modules before the week ends.
12. _____ go to malls now?
13. If we let students go to face-to-face classes, the virus _____ affect them.
 14. Your parent _____ help you with your studies this school year.
15. Her adviser said that she _____ drop by for a chat if she found the situation was okay.

What’s In

It is important for you to distinguish first the difference between linking verb and helping
verb. Linking verbs are verbs that describe the subject by connecting it to a predicate adjective
or predicate noun. Meanwhile, helping verbs are verbs that help the main verb in a sentence by
extending its meaning.

Let us study the following sentences. Identify whether the underlined verb is used as a
linking verb or helping verb. Write your answers on the blanks provided before each number.

Instructions: On the blanks provided before each number, write L if the

underlined word is a LINKING VERB and H if it is a HELPING
VERB.

____1. Mrs. Santos is a dedicated health worker.

____2. The frontliners are busy monitoring the condition of the suspected
COVID-19 patient.

____3. You can do this!

____4. Where will you move to?

____5. They are thinking of applying for internet connection.

____6. Could you pass the salt please?

____7. Mr. Ramos was a government employee before.

____8. I am looking for my bag.

____9. I do not want you to get sick.

____10. We have done our best.

 You are indeed correct if you answered L in item numbers 1, 2, 5, and 7. These verbs
are examples of linking verb. They join the subject and complement. Complement may be in
the form of predicate adjective or predicate noun. On the other hand, take a look at items 3, 4,
6, 8, 9 and 10. These underlined words are helping verbs. They help the main verbs in the
sentences.

What’s New
Direction: Look for the words in the chart that match the meanings indicated below.

WORD HUNT

A L L O W C R A O T R N
O I B G J O I S U C B O
M O D A L P A K C A N T
P E R M I S S I O N S V
W X D L A Q S N U L O T
L Y E Y M A Y G L N O C
G I V I N G U M D U T X

1. An auxiliary or helping verb which gives special meaning

2. The act of permitting
3. Modal used to give permission
4. Permit or let somebody to do something
5. Past tense of could
6. Word used nearly interchangeably with can
 What Is It

Modal verbs can be used to give or ask for permission. This

lesson on modal verbs for permission shows you how to use may, can, and could.

May

May is a polite modal verb used to ask for permission. Here are some examples:

 May I use a calculator on the test?

 May I have another piece of cake?

The polite answers using may are as follows:

 Yes, you may.

 No, you may not.

Could

Could is also used to ask for permission. It is less formal than using may. Here are some
examples with could:

 Could I have some more juice?

 Could I bring a friend to the party?

Modal Verbs:
asking for, giving, and refusing permission

Present or Future Past Tense

We use can when we give We use could to say that something was

someone permission to do something: permitted in the past:

You  can bring a friend to the party if you Many years ago, you  could  smoke in
want. cinemas, but now it's banned.
 We also use may for permission.
May is more formal and is used less often We also use was/were allowed in the past:
than can:

Passengers may take one small bag on We had to wear a tie at school, but we were
board the plane. allowed to take it off in hot weather.

Refusing permission Refusing permission

We use can't to say that something isn't We use couldn't/wasn't allowed to to say

permitted:
You can't park here – it's private property.
He can't drive my car – he doesn't have
insurance.
that something was not permitted in the
past:
We couldn't cross the border without our
passports.

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 about the past:

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

What’s More
 Independent Activity 1
Independent Assessment 2
Directions: Underline the modal verbs for expressing permission in the following sentences
Can you reply to these questions? Try to use friendly English.
below.
Type Question “Yes” “No”
1. We could go to any shop in the mall we wanted to. Answers Answers
2. "Mr. Smith, mayMay
Permission I goIto
sitthe restroom?"
here?
3. "You can borrow my book if you want, Diane."
Request
4. Both Could you
staff and students help
could useme?
the ice rink.
5. “Can I leave early? - “No, you can't!”
Offer Would you like some cookies?
Independent Assessment 1
Invitation Would you like to see a movie?
Directions: Complete the sentences by choosing correct modal.

Independent
1. ______ Activity
my friends 3 dinner tonight?
stay for
a. can b. cans c. does can
Directions: Restate the following
2. ______ pass me the paper please? sentences using modals for expressing permission.
a. can1. you
You go b. do him.
with you can c. do you can’t
3. Can you ______ the door for me please?
_____________________________
a. open
2. Give meb.a opens c. opened
glass of cold water.
4. Our leader ______ us assistance.
____________________________
a. could
3. Igave b. could
use your alcohol.give c. could gives
5. The traffic was heavy, I _____ come on time.
___________________________
a. could
4. She usesb.my
couldn’t
bag. c. can
__________________________
Independent Activity
5. I give you a2 call tonight
__________________________
Directions: Put a check on the blank if the statement is expressing permission.

_______1. You can visit your relatives.

_______2. May I open your files in your computer?
_______3. Can I see your work?
_______4. Do you agree with me?
_______5. She always makes me laugh.
Independent Assessment 3

Create a dialogue about being safe during the COVID-19 pandemic

using modals in asking and giving permission. Use at least four modals in the
entirety of the conversation between two persons.
Write your dialogue in the lines below:

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________

____________: _______________________________________________
 What I Have Learned

I have learned that modals ________________________________________.

The modals to be used in giving and asking permission are ______________

___________________________________________________________________.

_____________________________________________________________
are used in refusing permission.
 What Can I Do

Directions: Write sentences with permission of modals based on the given

situations below.

1. Kate is asking permission from her groupmates to go home early

for family matters.
_________________________________________________.
2. Eduard wants to ask permission from his teacher for his personal
necessity.
_________________________________________________.
3. Rose is asking permission to borrow her classmate’s notebook.
_________________________________________________.
4. Prof. Cruz allowed his students to use scientific calculator for his
Statistics Class yesterday.
_________________________________________________.
5. Mr. Diaz does not allow his children to use cellphones during bed
time.
_________________________________________________.
Assessment

A. Underline the modal used in the given sentences.

1. You may join the activity if you want.

2. You can take a deep breath before rendering your speech.
3. Can she take the exam next month?
4. May I ask for a replacement, sir? I don’t think I have time for
the job.
5. Could you help him in doing his project?

B. Supply the appropriate modal to express permission (may,

can or could).

1. The teacher said we _____ read this book for our own pleasure.
2. _____ you help me with the housework, please.
3. Madam, ____ I come in?
4. Yes, you _____ use my cellphone.
5. During the meeting, the president told us that anyone _______
share his/her ideas.

C. Arrange the jumbled words/phrases/clauses to create

meaningful sentences.

1. People/during the ECQ/go/anywhere/could not go/unless they had

Quarantine pass.
____________________________________________________
2. can/I/for a while/take a rest
____________________________________________________
3. with your work/if you are done/you/can watch TV
____________________________________________________
4. sir/may/I/leave/the room
___________________________________________________
5. you/could not/home yet/go/it/was raining
____________________________________________________
 Additional Activities

Create a story using the given words/phrases below. Make sure to indicate
permission using modals in your 2-3 paragraphs.

1. Tagaytay 6. with my family

2. new bag 7. excited
3. outing 8. this summer
4. join 9. my pet Lassy
5. use 10. Taal Lake

Write your output on the box below:

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
 Answer Key

What I Know
Independent Activity 3
Answers po
1. can/may
2. can
Independent Assessment 3
3. can Answers po
4. can
5. can/may
6. can/may
7. could
What Can I Do
8. can/may
9. can 1. Can I go home, please?
10. can 2. Excuse me Madam, may I go out for a
11. can while?
12. can 3. Can I borrow your notebook?
13. can/may 4. Class, you could use your scientific
14. can calculator.
15. could 5. You can’t your cellphones during bed
time.
What’s In

1. L
2. L Assessment
3. H
4. H A
5. L 1. May
6. H 2. Can
7. L 3. Can
8. H 4. May
9. H 5. Could
10. H
B
1. Could
What’s More
Independent Activity 1 2. Can
3. May
1. Could 4. Can
2. May 5. Could
3. Can
4. Could C
1. During the ECQ, people could not go
5. Can
anywhere unless they had Quarantine
Independent Assessment 1 Pass.
Answers po 2. Can I take a rest for a while?
3. If you are done with your work, you can
Independent Activity 2 watch TV.
Answers po 4. Sir, may I leave the room?
5. It was raining, you could not go home
Independent Assessment 2 yet.
Answers po
 References

Beatles, T., Gaga, L., Swift, T., Prep, T., & Course, F. (2020). Modal Verbs of Permission -
learnEnglish-online. Retrieved 21 July 2020, from http://www.learnenglish-
online.com/grammar/modals/permission.html

Modal verbs for expressing permission. (2013). Retrieved 21 July 2020, from
https://speakspeak.com/resources/english-grammar-rules/modal-verbs/modal-verbs-to-
express-permission