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Learning Objectives

2 minutes reading
✓
Use 'can', 'could', and 'may' to ask for permission
✓
Make polite requests using appropriate modal verbs
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Understand levels of formality (can vs could vs may)
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Give and refuse permission appropriately in business contexts
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Tip for this lesson

Formality matters: can = informal, could = polite, may = very formal. In business, "could" is usually the safest choice!

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Grammar Explanation

4 minutes reading
CAN

Informal Permission & Requests

Can I / Can you + base verb?

Use for: Informal situations, friends, colleagues you know well

Can I use this? Can you help me? You can go now
COULD

Polite Permission & Requests

Could I / Could you + base verb?

Use for: Business situations, polite requests, people you don't know well

Could I borrow this? Could you send me...? Could we meet later?
MAY

Formal Permission

May I + base verb?

Use for: Very formal situations, asking authority figures, official contexts

May I come in? May I speak? You may leave
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Key Method

Think about the relationship: can for friends and familiar colleagues, could for most business situations, may for very formal or official contexts.

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Context & Professional Usage

5 minutes reading

Asking for Permission

🚪 Entering: "May I come in?"
📞 Phone: "Could I call you back?"
💻 Resources: "Can I use the printer?"
🗓️ Time off: "Could I take Friday off?"

Making Requests

📧 Documents: "Could you send me the file?"
🤝 Help: "Could you help me with this?"
⏰ Time: "Can you wait a moment?"
📋 Information: "Could you explain that?"
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Business English Examples

6 minutes reading
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Correct Professional Usage

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"Could I ask you a question?" (polite permission)

Polite and professional - good for most business situations

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"Could you send me the report by Friday?" (polite request)

Professional request - appropriate for colleagues and clients

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"May I speak with the manager?" (formal permission)

Very formal - good for official situations

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"Yes, of course you can." (giving permission)

Natural way to give permission informally

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Common Business English Mistakes

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"Can I speak to the CEO?" (to someone you don't know)

Too informal. Use: "Could I speak to..." or "May I speak to..."

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"Can you to help me?"

No 'to' after modal verbs. Use: "Can you help me?"

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"I could to ask a question?"

No 'to' needed. Use: "Could I ask a question?"

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Professional Listening Exercise

6 minutes

🎧 Listening Exercise 1: Time Off Request

Listen to a conversation between Mark and his manager about requesting time off and making arrangements:

🎵 Audio: Permission & Requests at Work
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Audio: Permission & Requests at Work

Mark: Excuse me, Mrs. Thompson. Could I have a word with you?

Manager: Of course, Mark. Come in. What can I do for you?

Mark: Thank you. I was wondering - could I take next Friday off? My sister is getting married and I need to travel to Manchester.

Manager: Let me check the calendar... Yes, that should be fine. You may take the day off.

Mark: Thank you so much. Also, could you sign this holiday form for me?

Manager: Of course. Here you go. Is there anything else?

Mark: Actually, yes. Could I possibly leave early tomorrow? I have a dentist appointment at 4 o'clock.

Manager: I'm afraid that's not possible tomorrow. We have the client meeting at 3. Could you reschedule your appointment?

Mark: Yes, I can do that. May I use the phone to call the dentist now?

Manager: Yes, you may. You can use the phone in the meeting room - it's quieter there.

Mark: Thank you very much, Mrs. Thompson. I really appreciate your help.

Question 1: How does Mark ask for time off?

💡 Hint: Mark uses "could" to be polite with his manager.

Question 2: How does the manager give permission formally?

💡 Hint: "May" is formal - used by managers giving official permission.

Question 3: Complete: "_____ I use the phone to call the dentist?"

💡 Hint: Mark uses the most formal option to ask for permission.

🎧 Listening Exercise 2: Team Video Call

Listen to a team video call where Maria (Project Manager), David (Marketing Specialist), and Sarah (IT Support) plan a new product launch:

🎵 Audio: Team Video Call - Product Launch Planning
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Audio: Team Video Call - Product Launch Planning

(Characters: Maria, Project Manager; David, Marketing Specialist; Sarah, IT Support)

(Scenario: A team video call to plan a new product launch.)

Maria: Hello everyone. Thanks for joining. Can we start? Great. The goal for today is to finalize the launch plan. David, could you share your screen and show us the marketing timeline?

David: Of course, Maria. One moment. Okay, can everyone see it?

Sarah: Yes, looks good.

Maria: Thank you, David. It looks like the social media campaign starts on the 5th. David, can you give us an update on the video content?

David: Yes. The video is almost ready. We are just adding the final graphics. Could you explain the new budget limit again? I want to be sure we don't go over.

Maria: Certainly. The new budget is $5,000. I will send the full details after the call. Sarah, from the IT side, is everything ready for the website update?

Sarah: Mostly, yes. Can I ask a quick question about the server capacity? I am worried about traffic on launch day.

Maria: A very good question, Sarah. Please, go ahead.

Sarah: May I suggest we run a stress test this Wednesday? It will show us if the server is ready for many visitors.

Maria: That's an excellent idea. Yes, you can definitely do that. Please organize it. And for your team's extra work on this, you may take a half-day off next week. Okay, one final thing. Could you all send me your final task lists by 5 PM today? I need to create the master document.

David & Sarah: Yes, of course. / No problem.

Maria: Perfect. Thank you, everyone. That's all for today.

Question 1: Why does Sarah say, "May I suggest we run a stress test?"

💡 Hint: Sarah uses 'May I' to be respectful and formal when proposing a new idea to her manager and the team.

Question 2: What is the main purpose of this meeting?

💡 Hint: Maria states at the beginning, "The goal for today is to finalize the launch plan."

Question 3: Complete the sentence from the audio: "David, _______ give us an update on the video content?"

💡 Hint: Maria uses the informal 'can you' because she is asking a direct team member, David, for a routine update.
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Quick Comprehension Quiz

4 minutes

Choose the correct option for each professional situation:

1

_____ I borrow your pen? (polite request to a colleague)

A Could
B Must
C Should
2

_____ I speak with the director, please? (formal request)

A Can
B May
C Will
3

_____ you help me with this? (request to a close colleague)

A Can
B Must
C Shall
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Professional Practice Exercises

7 minutes

Exercise A: Choose the best modal (can, could, or may)

1.

_______ you pass me the salt? (informal, at dinner with friends)

💡 Hint: With friends, use the informal "can".
2.

_______ I speak to the manager, please? (formal, calling a company)

💡 Hint: For very formal situations, use "may" or "could".
3.

_______ you send me the report by tomorrow? (polite request to a colleague)

💡 Hint: For polite business requests, use "could".

Exercise B: Make these requests more polite

1.

"Give me your email address." → "_______ I have your email address?"

💡 Hint: Use "could" or "may" to make requests polite.
2.

"Open the window." → "_______ you open the window, please?"

💡 Hint: Use "could" to make a request more polite.
3.

"I want to leave early." → "_______ I leave early today?"

💡 Hint: Use "could" or "may" to ask permission politely.
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Speaking Preparation

4 minutes
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Practice Tips

Prepare your answers mentally or in writing. Use these questions as a base for professional English conversations.

💼 Prompt 1: Making Requests at Work

Practice polite requests: How would you ask a colleague to help you? How would you ask your manager for time off? Use could and may.

📞 Prompt 2: Phone Calls

You're calling a company. Practice asking: "May I speak to...?", "Could you transfer me to...?", "Could I leave a message?"

🤝 Prompt 3: Giving Permission

Practice responding to requests: "Yes, you can...", "Of course you may...", "I'm afraid you can't... because..."

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Congratulations!

You've completed lesson 2.3 and Module 2! You now understand how to use modal verbs for ability, possibility, obligation, advice, permission, and requests. Great job!

📝 Take Module 2 Quiz Module suivant →