Permission (can/may/could) Exercises PDFSet 4: Be Allowed To & Past Permission
20 questions·15 min·Answers included·Explanations included
Preview: Questions
Fill in the blank with the correct option.
1.Last Tuesday, he ___ leave work an hour early for a doctor's appointment.
a) was allowed tob) couldc) cand) may
2.We ___ use our phones during lessons. It's against school rules.
a) don't canb) aren't allowed toc) mayd) haven't
3.After the exam finished, we ___ leave the hall.
a) could tob) canc) were allowed tod) mayed
4.Next year, employees will ___ work from home two days a week.
a) canb) can toc) may tod) be allowed to
5.He ___ stay out late when he was a teenager. His parents were very strict.
a) wasn't allowed tob) couldn't toc) didn't cand) mayn't
... and 15 more questions in the PDF
Preview: Answers
1.was allowed to
2.aren't allowed to
3.were allowed to
4.be allowed to
5.wasn't allowed to
... and 15 more answers in the PDF
Preview: Explanations
1."was allowed to"(a)
For a specific past event (last Tuesday), use 'was/were allowed to', not 'could'. We use 'could' for general past permission, not single occasions.
2."aren't allowed to"(b)
'Aren't allowed to' expresses a current rule or prohibition. 'Can't' is also correct, but 'don't can' is never correct in English.
3."were allowed to"(c)
This describes a specific past event (after a particular exam), so 'were allowed to' is correct. 'Could to' is never correct — 'could' is never followed by 'to'.
4."be allowed to"(d)
For future permission, use 'will be allowed to'. Modal verbs like 'can' and 'may' cannot follow 'will'.
5."wasn't allowed to"(a)
'Wasn't allowed to' describes a past prohibition. 'Couldn't' would also work here, but 'couldn't to' and 'didn't can' are always wrong.
... and 15 more explanations in the PDF
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