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GZ12.03 - Permission and Requests

Choose a grammar card

A - Can - Permission

B - Could - Polite Permission

C - Can - Request

D - Could - Polite Request

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GZ12.03A - Can - Permission

[P] = Person/subject

[A] = Action (base verb)

Use can to ask if someone will allow you to do something.

Can + person + base verb + ... ?

Can I borrow your pen?

The speaker asks for permission for their own action. Can is common and natural in everyday conversation.

✓ Can I leave early today?

✗ Can I to leave early today?

✗ Can I leaves early today?

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GZ12.03B - Could - Polite Permission

[P] = Person/subject

[A] = Action (base verb)

Use could to ask permission more politely or tentatively.

Could + person + base verb + ... ?

Could I use your phone, please?

Could makes the request sound less direct. It does not refer to past time here. We use the base verb without to.

✓ Could I sit here, please?

✗ Could I to sit here, please?

✗ Could I sat here, please?

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GZ12.03C - Can - Request

[P] = Person/subject

[A] = Action (base verb)

Use can you to ask another person to do something.

Can + you + base verb + ... ?

Can you help me with this bag?

Unlike asking permission (Can I ...?), a request asks the listener to take action. Can you is direct but usually friendly.

✓ Can you open the door?

✗ Can you to open the door?

✗ Can you opens the door?

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GZ12.03D - Could - Polite Request

[P] = Person/subject

[A] = Action (base verb)

Use could you to ask someone to do something politely.

Could + you + base verb + ... ?

Could you open the window, please?

Could softens the request. It refers to a present or future action, not past ability. Please can make it even more polite.

✓ Could you wait a moment, please?

✗ Could you to wait a moment?

✗ Could you waited a moment?

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