Sentence inquiry

Question

Are these sentences grammatically correct?

I would like to get your permission to be excused from class.

I would like to request your permission to be excused from class.

I would like your permission to allow me not to attend class.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousAre these sentences grammatically correct?

Yes. Grammatically. But the last one is too strange to be usable. You're asking your listener either to give himself permission to give you permission or to give you permission to give yourself permission. 'permit' and 'allow' both mean the same thing, so they don't make a lot of sense when used together like that.

Once you understand that point, you can see that the other two aren't exactly right either. You don't want 'permission to be excused', as if to be excused by someone else; you want 'to be excused' by the person you're speaking to. Once you request to be excused, you have already asked permission.

You need one of these formulas.

I would like permission to miss class. / I would like to be excused from class.

CJ

Fivejedjon · Answer

I did make a similar point to CJ's in your thread on a similar question, Anon.

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimYes. Grammatically. But the last one is too strange to be usable. You're asking your listener either to give himself permission to give you permission or to give you permission to give yourself permission. 'permit' and 'allow' both mean the same thing, so they don't make a lot of sense when used together like that.

Thank you. That was very clear and I have understood what you were trying to say. Yes, allow equals permission!!

CalifJimOnce you understand that point, you can see that the other two aren't exactly right either.

I kind of see what you are trying to say here.

CalifJimYou don't want 'permission to be excused', as if to be excused by someone else;

But I used permission, as in I want the teacher's approval or authorization not to attend class. So does here 'your permission' mean the same as 'to be excused'? Or as you said, permission to be excused maybe sounds like I want the teacher's permission to be excused by someone else. How about if I say 'I would like your permission to excuse me from class'. Would that work?

CalifJimOnce you request to be excused, you have already asked permission.You need one of these formulas.I would like permission to miss class. / I would like to be excused from class.

Thanks for you examples, which are awesome.

I would like to see if these would work (just to see what I can come up with and if they are right):
I would like to request to be excused from class.
I would like you to excuse me from attending class.
I am kindly requesting that I be excused from class.
I writing to request your permission not to attend class.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI would like to request to be excused from class.

You can use this in the intended meaning. I was just trying to point out that some of these expressions you've come up with are not quite correct if taken literally. They ask for something one step away from what they really want to ask. Study this carefully and you'll see what I mean:

— I would like to request to be excused from class. (This is, in effect, a request to make a request.)
— Very well. You may request that. Please request it now if you wish. (This allows the request to be made.)
— May I please be excused from class? (This is a request to be excused.)
— Yes, you may. You are excused. (This excuses you.)

This is merely a fine point.

AnonymousI would like you to excuse me from attending class.
I am kindly requesting that I be excused from class.
I'm writing to request your permission not to attend class.

These three don't have the same indirectness as the one above. The first one is a little too direct to be usable in real life, however.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim— I would like to request to be excused from class. (This is, in effect, a request to make a request.)— Very well. You may request that. Please request it now if you wish. (This allows the request to be made.)— May I please be excused from class? (This is a request to be excused.)— Yes, you may. You are excused. (This excuses you.)

Thanks. I see what you are saying, CJ. But I feel it is such a precise point, which I would have not noticed if you had not informed me. Is that just because I am not native or because you are being extremely literal?

CalifJimThis is merely a fine point.

What does that mean? Does it mean very precise, maybe?

CalifJimThese three don't have the same indirectness as the one above. The first one is a little too direct to be usable in real life, however.

So are these three correct and not redundant as the sentence that was tortured, except that the first one is too direct as you said which I think so too?

But the third example has 'request and permission' in the sentence! Is it not redundant because I started with 'I am writing to request..' and then mentioned permission, which is different than the redundunt one?

Lastely, how about this: I would like your permission to excuse me from class.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousbecause you are being extremely literal?

I'm being extremely literal.

AnonymousCalifJim This is merely a fine point.What does that mean? Does it mean very precise, maybe?

It means the same as above. I'm being extremely literal. 'merely a fine point' means something like 'don't worry about it; it's not important for your everyday use of English'.

AnonymousSo are these three correct and not redundant as the sentence that was tortured, except that the first one is too direct as you said which I think so too?

Correct.

AnonymousBut the third example has 'request and permission' in the sentence! Is it not redundant because I started with 'I am writing to request..' and then mentioned permission, which is different than the redundant one?

It's a little different. I believe you're comparing these:

I would like to request your permission to be excused from class.
I'm writing to request your permission not to attend class.

The passive "be excused" in the first one leaves it open as to who is going to grant permission. It doesn't say that you want the listener to excuse you. It says you want someone to excuse you without indicating who. That makes it a weak sentence in comparison to the second one, where it's clear that you want your listener to give you permission not to attend class, i.e., you want your listener, personally, to excuse you.

Anonymoushow about this: I would like your permission to excuse me from class.

Not good. "want permission to" means the speaker wants to do it. So here the speaker wants to "excuse me (excuse himself) from class". What you want is permission to skip / miss class, not permission to excuse anybody.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimIt means the same as above. I'm being extremely literal. 'merely a fine point' means something like 'don't worry about it; it's not important for your everyday use of English'.

That's great news for me! I feel a little better.

But it is always great to improve one's skills and be precise, which is important for me because I exchange a lot of formal messages with my mentors. I also think that being literal will improve my research writing skills, but I find writing in real life communication harder for some reason.

CalifJimI would like to request your permission to be excused from class.I'm writing to request your permission not to attend class.The passive "be excused" in the first one leaves it open as to who is going to grant permission. It doesn't say that you want the listener to excuse you. It says you want someone to excuse you without indicating who. That makes it a weak sentence in comparison to the second one, where it's clear that you want your listener to give you permission not to attend class, i.e., you want your listener, personally, to excuse you.

Yes, I see what you are saying, and it makes sense when I read your explanation. I kind of understand that the combinations of 'permission + to be excused' is redundant, as well as the 'I would like to request to' sentence, which is as you said a request to make a request. Right?

CalifJimNot good. "want permission to" means the speaker wants to do it. So here the speaker wants to "excuse me (excuse himself) from class

Yes, so again the combination of 'permission + excuse me' is redundunt here, right?

CalifJimWhat you want is permission to skip / miss class, not permission to excuse anybody.

Yes, his permission to miss/skip class, e.g 'I would like your permission to not attend/skip/miss class on Tuesday'. How about that? Tell me I got it!

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousthe 'I would like to request to' sentence, which is as you said a request to make a request. Right?

Right.

Anonymousso again the combination of 'permission + excuse me' is redundunt here

Correct.

AnonymousCalifJimWhat you want is permission to skip / miss class, not permission to excuse anybody. ...'I would like your permission to not attend/skip/miss class on Tuesday'. How about that? Tell me I got it!

That is correct.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimThat is correct.

Thank you so much for your help, CJ!

Anonymous · Answer

I would like to request your permission to get a Laptop in addition to the Desktop

Sentence inquiry

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions