Further Practice in Expressing Possible and Permission – Basic 4 English Lesson Note (First Term)

Can and cannot express ability and possibility, while may and may not are used to ask for and give permission.

Behavioural objectives

1. State the meaning of possibility and permission.
2. Use can and cannot to talk about what is possible or impossible.
3. Use may and may not to ask for, give and refuse permission.
4. Choose the correct word (can, cannot, may, may not) to complete a sentence.
5. Act out a short conversation that asks for and gives permission.

What is possibility?

Possibility is the chance of something happening or being true.

• Possible: it can happen or be true, as in “A boy can run fast.”
• Impossible: it cannot happen or be true, as in “A stone can drink water.”

What are can and cannot?

Can is a helping verb that shows ability or possibility, and cannot is its negative form.

• Can: shows that something is possible or that someone is able to do it.
• Cannot: shows that something is impossible or that someone is not able to do it.
• Short form: cannot is often written as can’t in informal writing.
• Spelling: cannot is written as one word.

Examples of can and cannot

Questions and responses with can

1. Can you come on Saturday? Response: Yes, I can. / No, I cannot.
2. Can a stone float on water? Response: No, a stone cannot float on water. It sinks.
3. Can I arrange the books myself? Response: Yes, you can.
4. Can you make tea without sugar? Response: Yes, I can.

Guided activity: possible or impossible?

Say whether each question is possible or impossible.

1. Can I come and drink water?
2. Can I clean the car?
3. Can a stone drink table salt?
4. Can a father become a baby?

Answers: 1 possible, 2 possible, 3 impossible, 4 impossible.

What is permission?

Permission is allowing someone to do a particular thing.

• Asking for permission: we ask before we do something, as in “May I go out?”
• Giving permission: we say yes, as in “Yes, you may.”
• Refusing permission: we say no, as in “No, you may not.”
• Example: if you want to go out, you ask your father to allow you.

What are may and may not?

May is a helping verb used to ask for or give permission, and may not is its negative form.

• May: allows an action, as in “You may sit down.”
• May not: refuses an action, as in “You may not enter now.”
• Possibility: may also shows that something could happen, as in “It may rain today.”

Questions and responses with may

What is the difference between can and may?

Can shows ability or possibility, and may shows permission.

How do we ask for and give permission in a conversation?

We use a request with may, then a reply that gives or refuses permission.

Task 1

• Daniel: May I borrow your pencil? (asking permission)
• Michael: No, you may not. I am using it. (refusing permission)

Task 2

• Daniel: I am going to the stadium. (giving information)
• Michael: May I come with you? (asking permission)
• Daniel: Yes, you may. (giving permission)

Pupils work in pairs and act out both tasks, then change roles.

What other words express possibility, advice and permission?

Might, should, ought to and must are helping verbs that work like can and may.

What mistakes should pupils avoid?

• Cannot: write it as one word, not “can not”.
• After can and may: use the base verb, as in “She can sing”, not “She can sings”.
• Replies: answer clearly with “Yes, you may” or “No, you may not”.
• Politeness: use may when asking an older person or a teacher for permission.

Evaluation

Complete each sentence with can, cannot, may or may not.

1. A fish ………… live on dry land.
2. Ngozi ………… read very well.
3. “………… I leave the class, please?” asked Tunde.
4. “No, you ………… leave until the bell rings,” said the teacher.
5. Say whether this is possible or impossible: “A baby can lift a car.”

Answers: 1 cannot, 2 can, 3 May, 4 may not, 5 impossible.

Assignment

Write a short conversation of four lines between you and your teacher. In it, ask for permission to do something, and let your teacher give or refuse it. Use may or may not at least twice.