MAKE, LET, BE ALLOWED TO

MAKE
S + MAKE + OBJECT + ZERO INFINITIVE

• If someone obliges, forces someone to do something, we use "make". The construction is “

make someone do something.

• Unlike most verb, then, we don't use "to" in the infinitive.

i.e
1. She makes me study a lot (= She obliges/forces me to study a lot).
2. My teacher made me do extra homework because of the trouble I caused.
3. Some banks make you pay too many bank charges.

• In the passive, we add "to" after make. ( be + PP/V3)

i.e
She was made to leave the room while the plans were discussed.
I was made to do extra homework
 LET

S + LET + OBJECT + ZERO INFINITIVE

Use:
 Talking about giving permission.

 If we have permission from someone to do something, we use "let". Let someone do

something.

 We don't use "to" in the infinitive.

i.e
1. I’ll let you go out tonight. (= I give you permission to go out tonight).
2. My mother lets me stay out till midnight on a Saturday.
3. Let me go! I promise I won't tell anyone.

 In the passive, let is not possible. We must use be allow to:

i.e
I was allowed to leave early.
 BE ALLOWED TO
BE ALLOWED + TO INFINITIVE
Use:
• Saying what you can/can’t do / allow someone to do something.
i.e
1. We aren’t allowed to smoke in the office. (= We can’t smoke in the office).
2. We are allowed to smoke in the office. (= We can smoke in the office).

• It is used very often in the passive. In this way, the person given the permission is made
the subject of the sentence.