Formal Permission: allowed to / permitted to / forbidden (B1)

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

0 / 15 answered

Your score

0 / 150%

Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

Students allowed to use dictionaries during the vocabulary test.

Correct answer: are

"Are allowed to" is the correct passive-permission structure with a plural subject. "Is allowed to" would need a singular subject.

Visitors are not to take photographs inside the gallery.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed" completes "are not allowed to". "Permitted" is also correct and interchangeable here.

Only authorised personnel are to enter the server room.

Correct answer: permitted

"Permitted" (or "allowed") fills the blank in the passive-permission structure "are permitted to". "Forbidden" would reverse the meaning entirely.

Employees are to discuss salary details with colleagues under company policy.

Correct answer: forbidden

"Forbidden to" expresses prohibition. "Allowed to" or "permitted to" would give the opposite meaning.

The athlete was from competing for two years after the doping violation.

Correct answer: banned

"Banned from + -ing" is the formal prohibition structure used in sport and law. "Forbidden from" is less common and "banned to" is ungrammatical.

Each passenger is to carry one piece of hand luggage on board.

Correct answer: permitted

"Permitted to" (or "allowed to") with singular "is" fits the rule-statement context. "Forbidden to" would ban luggage, contradicting standard airline rules.

Candidates are not permitted bring notes into the examination hall.

Correct answer: to

"To" follows "permitted" in the infinitive structure "permitted to + base verb". Omitting "to" makes the sentence ungrammatical.

It is strictly to park in front of the emergency exit.

Correct answer: forbidden

"Forbidden to" follows "It is [adverb] forbidden to + base verb". "Allowed to" or "permitted to" would give the opposite (and dangerous) meaning.

Residents are to park in the underground car park free of charge.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed to" grants a right to residents. "Permitted to" is equally correct. "Forbidden to" prohibits parking, the opposite of what the sentence describes.

The user was from posting on the platform after repeatedly violating community guidelines.

Correct answer: banned

"Banned from + -ing" is the standard formal structure for a platform suspension. "Forbidden from posting" is also used; "not allowed to post" is informal by comparison.

In the past, women were not to vote in many countries.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed" or "permitted" fill the blank in the historical passive structure. "Forbidden" would say they were explicitly banned, which is also factually correct — both are accepted here.

Guests are not to bring outside food or drink into the venue.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed" completes "are not allowed to". "Permitted" is interchangeable. "Forbidden" changes the structure: "are forbidden to" is also correct.

The company is from using the logo under the terms of the settlement.

Correct answer: forbidden

"Forbidden from + -ing" or "banned from + -ing" are the standard legal structures for prohibition. "Not allowed to use" is also correct but uses a different structure.

The manager is the only person to approve refunds over £500.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed to" or "permitted to" fit the structure "the only person [allowed/permitted] to". "Forbidden to" would say the manager is prohibited from approving refunds — the opposite meaning.

Under the data protection rules, staff are to share personal customer data with third parties.

Correct answer: forbidden

"Forbidden to share" is the formal prohibition. "Not allowed to share" and "not permitted to share" mean the same — the key word in the blank position is "forbidden" (or "not allowed" / "not permitted" as three-word alternatives).

Please answer at least one question first.

Found an error in this exercise? Let us know.

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

0 / 15 answered

Your score

0 / 150%

Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

Students allowed to use dictionaries during the vocabulary test.

Correct answer: are

"Are allowed to" is the correct passive-permission structure with a plural subject. "Is allowed to" would need a singular subject.

Visitors are not to take photographs inside the gallery.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed" completes "are not allowed to". "Permitted" is also correct and interchangeable here.

Only authorised personnel are to enter the server room.

Correct answer: permitted

"Permitted" (or "allowed") fills the blank in the passive-permission structure "are permitted to". "Forbidden" would reverse the meaning entirely.

Employees are to discuss salary details with colleagues under company policy.

Correct answer: forbidden

"Forbidden to" expresses prohibition. "Allowed to" or "permitted to" would give the opposite meaning.

The athlete was from competing for two years after the doping violation.

Correct answer: banned

"Banned from + -ing" is the formal prohibition structure used in sport and law. "Forbidden from" is less common and "banned to" is ungrammatical.

Each passenger is to carry one piece of hand luggage on board.

Correct answer: permitted

"Permitted to" (or "allowed to") with singular "is" fits the rule-statement context. "Forbidden to" would ban luggage, contradicting standard airline rules.

Candidates are not permitted bring notes into the examination hall.

Correct answer: to

"To" follows "permitted" in the infinitive structure "permitted to + base verb". Omitting "to" makes the sentence ungrammatical.

It is strictly to park in front of the emergency exit.

Correct answer: forbidden

"Forbidden to" follows "It is [adverb] forbidden to + base verb". "Allowed to" or "permitted to" would give the opposite (and dangerous) meaning.

Residents are to park in the underground car park free of charge.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed to" grants a right to residents. "Permitted to" is equally correct. "Forbidden to" prohibits parking, the opposite of what the sentence describes.

The user was from posting on the platform after repeatedly violating community guidelines.

Correct answer: banned

"Banned from + -ing" is the standard formal structure for a platform suspension. "Forbidden from posting" is also used; "not allowed to post" is informal by comparison.

In the past, women were not to vote in many countries.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed" or "permitted" fill the blank in the historical passive structure. "Forbidden" would say they were explicitly banned, which is also factually correct — both are accepted here.

Guests are not to bring outside food or drink into the venue.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed" completes "are not allowed to". "Permitted" is interchangeable. "Forbidden" changes the structure: "are forbidden to" is also correct.

The company is from using the logo under the terms of the settlement.

Correct answer: forbidden

"Forbidden from + -ing" or "banned from + -ing" are the standard legal structures for prohibition. "Not allowed to use" is also correct but uses a different structure.

The manager is the only person to approve refunds over £500.

Correct answer: allowed

"Allowed to" or "permitted to" fit the structure "the only person [allowed/permitted] to". "Forbidden to" would say the manager is prohibited from approving refunds — the opposite meaning.

Under the data protection rules, staff are to share personal customer data with third parties.

Correct answer: forbidden

Please answer at least one question first.

Found an error in this exercise? Let us know.