What does the underlined Modal express in the following sentence?
May I come in ?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → formal permission
"May I come in?" is the polite request a student makes to a teacher before entering a class.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) authority | Authority (an order or a rule) is shown by must or shall. Here the speaker asks, he does not command. | Visitors must sign the register. |
| (2) formal permission (answer) | May is used to ask for or give permission. It is more polite and formal than "can". | May I borrow your pen, sir? |
| (3) capability | Capability is shown by can. The speaker is able to come in, he is asking whether he is allowed. | She can swim across the river. |
| (4) probability | "May" shows probability in statements such as "It may rain", not in a question asking permission. | It may rain this evening. |