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 PRACTICE ON POINTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

• Modal Summary
• Modal Diagnostic
• Will / Might
• Will / Would
• Would
• Should
• Could / Should
• Should / Must
• Must have
• Can / Could
• May / Can
• Modal Agreement
• Future Perfect
• Modal Review
• Modal Practice
• Modal Quiz
• Modals In Context
• Related Pages

May / Can

Requesting permission and offering suggestions

 

Giving permission, making requests and offering suggestions require the speaker to be aware of levels of formality.

Some expressions are used with persons of authority and with people whom we are unfamiliar while others are used with peers and people with whom we are familiar.

 

 

Permission

MORE FORMAL	LESS FORMAL
Use may to ask permission.	Use can to ask permission in informal situations.
May I smoke here? You may use your cellphone in the restaurant patio.	Can I smoke here? You can use your cellphone in the restaurant patio. (less formal; an option)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Request

MORE FORMAL	LESS FORMAL
Use would or could to ask someone politely to do something.	Use will or can to ask someone to do something in more informal situations.
Would you please smoke outside? Would you mind smoking outside please? Could you smoke outside please?	Will you smoke outside please? Can you smoke outside please? I'd like you to smoke outside please.   (would+like – Is used by a person of authority)

 

 

Suggestion / Invitation

MORE FORMAL	LESS FORMAL
Use shall or would you like to suggest or invite someone to do something.	Use let's, why don't we or how about to suggest or invite someone to do something in a less formal situation.
Shall we go outside? Would you like to go to a table outside?	Let's go outside? Why don't we go outside? How about going outside?

 

 

 

 

 

Practice

Restating a Request

 

 

 

What is the level of formality?

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
1.	Mail these letters.     none informal formal very formal
2.	Would you please mail these letters for me?   none informal formal very formal
3.	Could you mail these letters?   none informal formal very formal
4.	Can you mail these letters?   none informal formal very formal
5.	Do you think you could mail these letters?   none informal formal very formal
6.	Would you be so kind as to mail these letters?   none informal formal very formal

 

 

 

 

Practice 2

Requests, Suggestions and Advice

 

 

 

1. Decide on the best modal phrase to complete the sentence. 
2. An asterisk (*) indicates an incorrect answer.   

#	FEEDBACK	YOUR RESPONSE
7.	There's a good movie on TV tonight.      watch it. Hint 7	May we Let's Do you mind
8.	watching it at your place? Hint 8	May we Why don't we Do you mind
9.	hand me the remote control? Hint 9	Might you Can you I'd like you to
10.	call some friends to join us? Hint 10	Could you Shall we Let's
11.	"I can't find which channel it is on." checking the newspaper for the TV listings. Hint 11	Do you mind   How about Why don't we
12.	turn the TV a little louder, I can't hear too well. Hint 12	Will you Can you Shall we