Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

PERMISSIONS, PROHIBITIONS

415

Permissions are concerned with requesting and granting freedom for someone to

act in a particular way.

Prohibitions deny freedom of action.

Declaratives with can and may

415a 

Declaratives with can and may are used to give permission. May is more formal

than can, and is rare in everyday conversation for giving permission:

She asked if she could come and stay so I said ‘

Of course 

you can

.’

Mum says 

you can eat as much fruit as you want

.

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