Word of the Day: Allow
The word “allow” is a verb. We use it when giving permission or when saying something is okay.
| simple | past | past participle |
|---|---|---|
|
allow
|
allowed
|
allowed
|
- The teacher allowed the class to leave five minutes early.
- You are not allowed to park your car in that space. (This sentence uses the passive voice.)
- Renee’s parents will not allow her to go to the party because there’s probably going to be alcohol served there.
- Are we allowed to use the copier in this office?
The word “allow” is also used when determining an amount of time or space that is sufficient for a situation:
- You should allow yourself extra time to get to the airport tomorrow.
- Ralph allowed the wall to dry a few hours before repainting it.
- Allow a few inches of space on either side of the couch so that we can get it into the apartment.
To make this word into a noun, add “ance” to the end of it: allowance.
- The city made some allowances so that they could do business in that location.
- No allowances will be made for students who are late to class.
The word “allowance” also refers to an amount of money that parents give to their children:
- Vivian’s children get an allowance of five dollars a week.
- Todd stopped giving his daughter an allowance because she didn’t deserve the money.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with A page to see the list of all words starting with letter A. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
