May, Can, Could: Expressing Permission in English for the TOEIC®

May, can, and could all express permission in English, but they are used in different contexts.

For the TOEIC®, can is used in informal situations (among colleagues), may in formal requests (professional emails, company policies), and could for more polite requests.

Many confuse may (permission) with might (low probability) in Part 5 sentences, which is a point we will cover in this article.

The Three Modals of Permission and Their Usage Contexts

The difference between these three modals depends on the degree of formality and the type of professional situation.

Can

Can expresses direct permission in a neutral tone. You will encounter it in conversations between colleagues, internal announcements, simple procedures, etc.

• "Employees can take a 15-minute break in the morning."
  Employees can take a 15-minute break in the morning.

May

May expresses formal permission in a rather official context. You will encounter it in formal emails, company policies, etc.

• "Visitors may park in the designated areas only."
  Visitors may park only in designated areas.

Could

Could expresses a request for permission in the conditional mood. It is used to phrase a request more politely than with can.

• "Could I use the conference room this afternoon?"
  Could I use the conference room this afternoon?

Among our candidates, the most frequent confusion arises because they systematically translate the French verb "pouvoir" (to be able to/may) as "can," even in formal contexts where "may" is required.

Summary Table of the Three Modals

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Common Pitfalls in TOEIC® Permission Modals

In Part 5, questions about permission modals test your ability to identify the correct language register based on the context.

Pitfall 1: Confusing May (Permission) and Might (Probability)

Test designers often set traps by proposing "might" where "may" is expected. "Might" expresses low probability, not permission.

"Employees ------- use the gym facilities after 6 PM."

• (A) might
• (B) may
• (C) must
• (D) would

Answer: (B). The context indicates formal authorization, not a hypothesis.

Pitfall 2: Using Can in an Overly Formal Context

If the sentence contains formality cues (policy, regulation, official, request), "may" must be used.

"According to company policy, staff members ------- take up to 10 sick days per year."

• (A) may
• (B) can
• (C) could
• (D) will

Answer: (A). "Company policy" signals an official framework.

Candidates who progress quickly have a simple reflex: they read the keywords surrounding the verb before choosing the modal.

Checklist for Choosing the Right Modal

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The Negative Form of Permission Modals

Negation changes the meaning of each modal.

Cannot / Can't: Direct prohibition, firm tone.

• "Visitors cannot enter the laboratory without authorization." Visitors cannot enter the laboratory without authorization.

May not: Formal prohibition, strict regulation.

• "Employees may not disclose confidential information." Employees may not disclose confidential information.

Could not / Couldn't: Impossibility or polite refusal (less common for permission).

• "I couldn't attend the workshop yesterday." I could not attend the workshop yesterday.

Frequent Errors and Corrections

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The fastest-improving candidates carefully read the keywords before choosing. Policy, request, colleagues, official. These clues are always present.

Ready to Practice?

Mastering permission modals quickly earns you points in Part 5. These questions appear systematically. The key is to read the formality cues and avoid the traps between "may" and "might."

On Flow Exam, you can practice this topic—Modals in Part 5—directly, with thousands of questions formatted exactly like those on the official TOEIC®. You will see precisely where you still confuse "may," "can," and "could," and you will improve on the pitfalls that constantly trip people up.

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