Allow past tense
Meaning of allow
to permit (someone) to have or do something; to permit (something) to happen or be done.
Infinitive
- 1. He always allows his friends to use his car when they need it.
- 2. The company allows employees to work remotely on Fridays.
- 3. Our policy allows pets in the office on Wednesdays.
Past Simple
- 1. She allowed her children to stay up late on New Year's Eve.
- 2. The teacher allowed us to use our notes during the quiz.
- 3. My parents allowed me to drive their car once I had my driver's license.
Past Participle
- 1. He has been allowed to enter the secured area after showing his credentials.
- 2. The rules are strictly enforced, and no exceptions are allowed.
- 3. All guests have been allowed to stay until midnight after the celebration.
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Bare infinitive
- General facts or truthsExample. The company allows telecommuting for all its employees.Example. He allows one hour every morning for meditation.Example. The museum allows free entry on the first Monday of every month.
- Habitual actionsExample. The company allows telecommuting for all its employees.Example. He allows one hour every morning for meditation.Example. The museum allows free entry on the first Monday of every month.
- Fixed arrangements, schedules, or timetables (although more common with verbs related to events taking place)Example. The company allows telecommuting for all its employees.Example. He allows one hour every morning for meditation.Example. The museum allows free entry on the first Monday of every month.
Past Simple
- Actions completed at a specific time in the pastExample. The teacher allowed us to leave early yesterday.Example. My grandparents allowed visiting neighbors to stay for dinner whenever they dropped by.
- Past habits or states (less frequently used in this sense)Example. The teacher allowed us to leave early yesterday.Example. My grandparents allowed visiting neighbors to stay for dinner whenever they dropped by.
Past Participle
- Perfect tenses Present perfect (actions that happened at an unspecified time before now)Example. They have always allowed pets in their home.Example. By the time the policy changed, the company had allowed remote work for several years.Example. By next month, he will have allowed his friend to stay with him for a whole year.Example. The students were allowed to enter the lab only after wearing safety gear.Example. If the weather had allowed, they would have gone to the beach yesterday.
- Past perfect (actions completed before a certain point in the past)Example. They have always allowed pets in their home.Example. By the time the policy changed, the company had allowed remote work for several years.Example. By next month, he will have allowed his friend to stay with him for a whole year.Example. The students were allowed to enter the lab only after wearing safety gear.Example. If the weather had allowed, they would have gone to the beach yesterday.
- Future perfect (actions that will have been completed by a certain future point)Example. They have always allowed pets in their home.Example. By the time the policy changed, the company had allowed remote work for several years.Example. By next month, he will have allowed his friend to stay with him for a whole year.Example. The students were allowed to enter the lab only after wearing safety gear.Example. If the weather had allowed, they would have gone to the beach yesterday.
- Passive voice (to describe actions done to the subject by someone else)Example. They have always allowed pets in their home.Example. By the time the policy changed, the company had allowed remote work for several years.Example. By next month, he will have allowed his friend to stay with him for a whole year.Example. The students were allowed to enter the lab only after wearing safety gear.Example. If the weather had allowed, they would have gone to the beach yesterday.
- Conditional sentences (to express hypothetical scenarios or wishes)Example. They have always allowed pets in their home.Example. By the time the policy changed, the company had allowed remote work for several years.Example. By next month, he will have allowed his friend to stay with him for a whole year.Example. The students were allowed to enter the lab only after wearing safety gear.Example. If the weather had allowed, they would have gone to the beach yesterday.
Common mistakes
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Misapplication of Tense
One common mistake is confusing when to use the past simple versus the past participle form, despite them being the same ('allowed') for the verb 'allow.' This confusion often manifests in the incorrect use of 'allowed' in various tense constructions. For example, a learner might mistakenly use 'allowed' without auxiliary verbs in constructions that require them, such as in perfect tenses (e.g., saying 'I allowed to go' instead of 'I have been allowed to go') or in passive voice constructions (e.g., 'The project was allowed by the manager' is correct, but the mistake would be in misplacing the form or auxiliary verb).
— 02
Pronunciation
The correct pronunciation of 'allowed' is /əˈlaʊd/, with a clear distinction between the syllables and a diphthong in the second syllable. A common mistake is mispronouncing the word by not fully articulating the diphthong or by placing stress incorrectly, leading to misunderstandings or unclear communication. Non-native speakers might pronounce it too flatly, missing the nuanced change in vowel sound, or might stress the wrong part of the word.
— 03
Spelling Mistakes
Although 'allowed' follows a straightforward rule by adding '-ed' to the base form 'allow,' some learners might incorrectly spell the past form due to mishearing or misinterpreting the phonetics. For instance, they might omit one 'l' or add unnecessary letters due to the way they interpret the sound of the word, resulting in spellings like 'alowed' or 'allowwed.' Understanding the basic rules of spelling for regular past tense forms and paying close attention to the specific sounds within words can help avoid this type of error.
Past tense quiz
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