Modal Verbs - English Grammar

The modal verbs “might”, “to be” and allowed to are also important in the English Grammar.

Present tense: "may"

• Replacement for every other tense: „to be allowed to“
  • Miriam is allowed to finish the game.
  • The boys were allowed to watch television.
  • She hasn't been allowed to contact Tom.
  • None of us is allowed to drive that car.

Also, consider the following differences in the use of this modal verb:

Difference between the modal verbs may and might

• More often than not “might” and “may” are almost identical, with “might” suggesting a rather lower probability. You’re more likely to get wet if the forecaster says “it may rain” than if he or she says “it might rain”; but substituting one for the other is unlikely to get you into trouble—so long as you stay in the present tense.
• But “might” is also the past tense of the auxiliary verb “may,” and is necessary in sentences like “Larry might have avoided arrest for the burglary if he hadn’t given the cashier his business card before asking for the money.” When speculating that events might have been other than they were, don’t replace “may” for “might."

• In the case of permissions, one hast o notice different stages of formality:

"Can" is the ordinary form

• Can I?
• Can I go now?

"Could" is more formal

• Could I?
• Could we go now?

"May" is even more formal

• May I?
• May I go now, please?

If you want to build a negation with ”may”, it is important to notice this:

Permission/Prohibition

• kind prohibition
  • No, you may not keep it.
• strict prohibition
  • No, you must not keep it.