May / might/ be allowed to

Modal verb	Present	Past	Future
Equivalent
may be allowed to	may am/is/are allowed to	might was / ere allowed to	will be allowed to

1. Разрешение, запрещение а) обращение за разрешением; просьба (формальная)	May I use your phone? May I have some more coffee?	Можно мне позвонить от вас? Можно мне ещё кофе?
б) разрешение (формальное)	You may take my car. You may leave earlier today, Miss Green. I am sure you will be allowed to leave earlier today. He was allowed to join us.	Вы можете взять мою маши- ну. Вы можете уйти сегодня пораньше, мисс Грин. Я уверен, что тебе сегодня разрешат уйти пораньше. Ему разрешили пойти с нами	Be allowed to в будущем и прошед- шем време- ни
с) запрещение, (формальное) запретительные надписи	Visitors may not feed the animals. You may not smoke here.	Посетителям запрещается кормить животных. Курить запрещается.
2. Конкретная возможность	We may go to Italy this summer. Jane may not like these flowers.	Мы можем поехать (возможно поедем) в Италию этим летом. Джейн могут не понравиться эти цветы.
3. Предположе- ние с оттенком неуверенности, сомнения	He may be in the library now. He may not know anything about it. He may be working now. He may have forgotten to post the letter. They might have wanted to tell you something important.	Возможно, он сейчас в биб- лиотеке. Может быть, он ничего не знает об этом. Возможно, он сейчас рабо- тает. Может быть, (возможно), он забыл отправить письмо. Возможно, они хотели ска- зать тебе что-то важное.	В утверд. и отрицат. предложе- ниях со все- ми форма- ми инфини- тива might-менее вероятно, чем may
4. Упрек, критика	You might help me carry this suitcase. You might repair this shelf. You might have reminded me about it.	Ты хоть бы помог мне под- нести этот чемодан. Мог бы и отремонтировать эту полку. Мог бы и напомнить мне об этом.	В этом зна- чении – только might

Ex. 213. Fill in the blanks with may (might) or to be allowed to. Use to be allowed to

only in sentences where may (might) is not to be used.

1. _______________I bring my sister to the party?

2. He asked if he ______________ bring his sister to the party.

3. After they had finished their homework, the children ____________________ watch TV.

4. He ________________ the sport section as soon as he is through with his medical exams.

5. Becky’s mother said that everybody ___________________ take part in the picnic.

6. He ________________ go home if he likes.

7. As soon as the boy _________________ leave the room, he smiled a happy smile and ran out

to join his friends outside.

8. The doctor says I am much better. I ________________ get up for a few hours every day.

9. I have a sore throat. I wonder when I _______________________ eat ice-cream.

10. If you don’t put on your coat, you _________________ get ill.

11. The doctor said that I _________________ go swimming.

Ex. 214. Find the right question.

1 You’re in your English class, and you’ve found a word you don’t understand. You want to

look it up in a dictionary. (borrow /dictionary)_May I borrow your dictionary, please?

2 You’re at a friend’s house, and you want to phone your parents to tell them where you are.

(use /phone)________________________________________________________________

3 Someone is explaining something to you, but you don’t understand very well, and you want

to ask something. (ask /question) ________________________________________________

4 You’re in your classroom, and you’re rather cold. (close /window)______________________

5 You have to go to the hospital at twelve o’clock, so you want to ask for permission to leave

early. (leave /11.30)___________________________________________________________

6. You’ve just arrived at a friend’s house. You had to change a tyre on your car, and your hands

are very dirty. (wash /hands) ____________________________________________________

Ex. 215. Fill in the blanks with can/ could or may/ might) (or the negative forms).

1. __________ we leave the room? Is the lesson over?

2. _________ you stand on your head? - I _________ when I was at school but I ________now.

3. _________ I smoke here? - No, you ___________, smoking is not allowed.

4. _________ you type? - Yes, I ___________ type, but I ___________ do shorthand.

5. _________ I come in? - Please, do.

6. Where __________ I buy fruit?

7. He _____________ answer the teacher’s questions yesterday, but he ___________ answer the

same questions today.

8. ____________ I come and see you this evening? - Of course, you _____________.

9. It’s very cold. ____________ I shut the windows?

10. When I first went to Spain I ___________ read Spanish but I _____________ speak it.

11. He said that we _____________ use his flat whenever we liked.

12. There was a lot of noise in the street last night, and I _______________ sleep.

13. ____________ I borrow your umbrella?

14. The boys _______________ wait for him, they have no time for that.

15. ____________ I invite Tom to our house?

Ex. 216. (Possibility) Read the conversation, then write sentences.

ROSE: Nick wants me to visit him in Arizona!

JAN: Will you go, do you think?

ROSE: I don’t know. Perhaps, I’ll go next year. (1)

I’ll ask for a month’s holiday, perhaps. (2)

JAN: But perhaps your boss won’t let you go. (3)

ROSE: Maybe I’ll leave my job, then. (4)

JAN: Don’t do that! It’ll be difficult to find another, perhaps. (5)

ROSE: Well, perhaps I won’t want another job in England. (6)

Perhaps I’ll stay in Arizona. (7)

Perhaps Nick and I will get married there. (8)

JAN: But then perhaps I’ll never see you again, Rose! (9)

ROSE: Don’t worry, Jan. I’m only talking about what may happen. It’s not definitely

going to happen, you know.

Rose may go to Arizona next year. __________________________________

Ex. 217. What about you? What may happen? Remember, you’re writing about things

that are possible, not about things that are definite or certain.

Before I go to bed tonight, I may __________________________________________________

Tomorrow ____________________________________________________________________

Next month ___________________________________________________________________

Next year _____________________________________________________________________

In 2015 _______________________________________________________________________

Ex. 218. Write five possibilities and say why you want to do them.

Example: I may go to Egypt because I want to see the pyramids.

1 ___________________________________________________________________________

2 ___________________________________________________________________________

3 ___________________________________________________________________________

4 ___________________________________________________________________________

5 ___________________________________________________________________________

Ex. 219. A friend is asking you about some plans. You’re not sure. Use might (not).

1 A: Where are you going this weekend?

B: I don’t know yet. __I might go to Tim’s party__. (Tim’s party)

but __I might not go anywhere__. (not / anywhere)

2 A: It’s a national holiday tomorrow so there’s no public transport. How are Jane and Sue

going to get there?

B: I don’t know. It’ll be difficult. They ____________________________ (taxi)

but _________________________________( not / come).

3 A: Who are you going to invite to dinner?

B: I haven’t decided yet. _______________________________ (Sarah)

but ____________________________________ (not / Tony).

4 A: What new clothes does Clare want to buy on Saturday?

B: She’s not sure yet. ______________________________________(some jeans)

but __________________________________________ (not / anything).

Ex. 220. Complete each sentence with a verb in the correct form.

1. “Where’s Sam? “I’m not sure. He might __be having lunch.”__

2. “Who is that man with Emily?” “I’m not sure. It might ___________________ her brother.”

3. A: Who was the man we saw with Ann yesterday?”

B: I’m not sure. It may __________________________________ her brother.

4. A: What are those people doing by the side of the road?

B: I don’t know. They might ___________________________ for a bus.

5. “Do you have a stamp?” “No, but ask Simon. He may ___________________ one.”

Ex. 221 Read the situation and make sentences from the words in brackets. Use might.

1. I can’t find Jeff anywhere. I wonder where he is.

a (he / go / shopping) __He might have gone shopping.______________________

b (he / play / tennis) __He might be playing tennis.________________________

2. I’m looking for Sarah. Do you know where she is?

a (she / watch / TV /in her room) _______________________________________________

b (she / go /out) _____________________________________________________________

3. I can’t find my umbrella. Have you seen it?

a (it / be / in the car) __________________________________________________________

b (you/ leave/ in the restaurant last night) _________________________________________

4. Why didn’t Dave answer the doorbell? I’m sure he was at home at the time.

a (he / go / to bed early) _______________________________________________________

b (he / not hear / the doorbell) __________________________________________________

c (he / be / in the shower) ______________________________________________________

Ex. 222. Give uncertain answers to the following questions. Use may /might.

1. Where is the meat I left on the table? (the cat, steal it)

2. How did the fire start? (someone, drop a cigarette)

3. Why is Peter late? (miss the train)

4. Where are you going for your holidays? (Spain)

5. Why didn’t Ann answer the doorbell? (go to bed)

6. I wonder how much such dress costs? (35 pounds)

7. Where are my slippers? (in the bathroom)

8. Why didn’t Mary come to see us? (fall ill)

9. When do you expect them to come? ( arrive next week)

10. Why is he looking for the key? (lose it)

Ex. 223. Match the English sentences with their equivalents in Russian.

1. May I listen to this record? 2. You may not smoke here. 3. You may read about it in this book. 4. She may be a good typist. 5. I may (might) finish this book by the end of the week. 6.You might have booked the room in advance. 7. They might have taken the wrong bus. 8. She may be shopping now. 9. May I leave my car here? 10. Come in, Victor. You may join in our talk. 11. You may not borrow books from the library for more than ten days. 12. They may come by train. 13. You might start doing your homework instead of watching TV. 14. Where is Peter? – I don’t know. He might be working in the study-room. 15. You may come later tomorrow. 16. They may not like it.

1. Входи, Виктор. Можешь присоединиться к нашему разговору. 2. Где Петя? – Я не знаю. Возможно он работает в кабинете. 3. Мог бы заказать номер заранее. 4. Можно мне послушать эту пластинку? 5. Здесь нельзя курить. 6. Возможно, она сейчас ходит по мага- зинам. 7. Завтра вы можете придти попозже. 8. Они могут приехать поездом. 9. Вы можете прочитать об этом в этой книге. Я, возможно, закончу эту книгу к концу недели. Можно мне оставить здесь машину? Может быть, они сели не в тот автобус. Им это может не понравиться. Ты бы лучше начал делать уроки, вместо того, чтобы смотреть телевизор. Возможно, она хорошая машинистка. Вы не можете держать книги из библи- отеки более десяти дней.

Ex. 224. Change the sentences as in the pattern.

Will you allow me to attend your lecture? (можно мне) -__May I attend your lecture?__

1. Will you let me have this book for a few days? (можно мне одолжить) _________________

2. He allows you to come at ten tomorrow. (можете придти) ____________________________

3. I’m thinking of taking a holiday in August. (возможно, возьму отпуск) _________________

4. Roger is talking to his girlfriend. (возможно, разговаривает) _________________________

5. I am not sure I’ll see him today. (возможно, не увижу) ______________________________

6. I am not sure the window was shut. (возможно, не было закрыто) _____________________

7. Miss Green has already typed the letter. (возможно, напечатала) ______________________

8. Why didn’t you start your preparations yesterday? (ты мог бы начать…) ________________

9. Jane doesn’t want to go to the dance with him. I suppose she doesn’t like him. (возможно,

не нравится) ________________________________________________________________

10. Why don’t you explain to him how to do it? (ты бы хоть объяснил) ___________________

11. It isn’t allowed to use a camera in this museum. (нельзя пользоваться) _________________

12. Is it your dictionary? I want to use it. (можно воспользоваться?) _____________________

13. Where are the children? - I think they are playing in the yard. (возможно играют) ______ _____________________________________________________________________________