Grammatical Structure

902 questions

Question 181Question

Complete the sentence below by providing the appropriate preposition in the blank space.

Fill in the blanks below

All candidates participating in the matriculation examination are required to abide the rules and regulations set by the examination body.
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Answer

The correct preposition to fill the blank is 'by'.
The preposition 'by' is correct because the verb 'abide' forms a standard fixed collocation with 'by' (abide by), which means to accept, obey, or conform to a rule or decision.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the main verb requiring a dependent preposition
The verb in the sentence is 'abide'.
Certain verbs in English require specific prepositions to complete their meaning correctly.
2
Determine the correct preposition collocation for 'abide'
The verb 'abide' collocates with 'by' when expressing compliance with rules or decisions.
'Abide by' is a fixed prepositional expression meaning to obey, comply with, or conform to a rule or agreement.

Key Concept

Dependent prepositions and verb-preposition collocations (abide by)
Estimated Time:45s
Question 182Question

Which preposition correctly completes the sentence below?

Fill in the blanks below

The defense attorney managed to disabuse the jury the notion that his client had been present at the crime scene.
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Answer

The preposition 'of' correctly completes the sentence to form the standard collocation 'disabuse someone of something'.
The verb 'disabuse' requires the specific dependent preposition 'of' when indicating the misconception or false belief being removed (i.e., 'to disabuse someone of something').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the principal verb requiring a dependent preposition.
The target verb in the sentence is 'disabuse'.
The meaning of the sentence requires expressing the removal of a false belief or misconception from the jury.
2
Select the correct fixed preposition that collocates with 'disabuse'.
The preposition 'of' is selected.
In standard English grammar, the verb 'disabuse' strictly governs the dependent preposition 'of' (to disabuse someone of an idea/notion).

Key Concept

Dependent Prepositions and Verbo-Prepositional Collocations
Question 183Question

Complete the following sentence by providing the appropriate modal auxiliary phrase that expresses an action that was performed even though it was unnecessary.

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Since the manager had already broadcast the meeting notes electronically, the assistant printed physical copies for everyone.
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Answer

need not have / needn't have
The modal structure 'need not have' (or 'needn't have') followed by the past participle 'printed' correctly indicates that an action was performed despite being unnecessary.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the pragmatic meaning of the sentence context.
The action of printing copies took place, but prior electronic delivery made it unnecessary.
The sentence describes an action completed in the past that turned out to be redundant.
2
Select the modal auxiliary form that conveys unneeded past action.
The correct form is 'need not have' (or contracted 'needn't have') + past participle ('printed').
'Need not have' specifically indicates that a past action was executed unnecessarily, contrasting with 'did not need to' which implies the action was not necessarily performed.

Key Concept

Past Modality: Expressing Unnecessary Past Actions (Need not have + Past Participle)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 184Question

Match each bolded noun phrase in the sentences on the left with its exact syntactic function listed on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

The committee elected Dr. Arinze the chief technical consultant for the infrastructure project.
The lead investigator gave the parliamentary panel a comprehensive report on the security breach.
A prominent maritime attorney, Barrister Florence spoke eloquently against the port deregulation bill.
The sudden departure of the finance executive rendered all ongoing budget negotiations completely void.

Matches

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Answer

1. 'the chief technical consultant' matches with Object complement modifying the direct object; 2. 'the parliamentary panel' matches with Indirect object of the transitive verb; 3. 'Barrister Florence' matches with Appositive renaming the subject noun phrase; 4. 'all ongoing budget negotiations' matches with Direct object of the transitive verb.
Each noun phrase performs a distinct syntactic role based on clause structure: object complementation following complex-transitive verbs, indirect object recipient marking in ditransitive structures, appositive renaming of adjacent subject elements, and direct object placement after monotransitive verbs.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the verb structure and complementation pattern in sentence 1.
The verb 'elected' takes a direct object ('Dr. Arinze') followed by a secondary noun phrase ('the chief technical consultant') describing the role assigned to the direct object, making it an object complement.
Complex-transitive verbs require an object complement to complete the meaning of the direct object.
2
Examine the ditransitive verb structure in sentence 2.
The verb 'gave' transfers the direct object ('a comprehensive report') to the recipient noun phrase ('the parliamentary panel'), identifying it as an indirect object.
In ditransitive clauses (V + IO + DO), the indirect object precedes the direct object and identifies the recipient.
3
Identify non-restrictive nominal modification in sentence 3.
'Barrister Florence' immediately renames the preceding subject noun phrase 'A prominent maritime attorney', functioning as an appositive.
An appositive noun phrase defines or renames an adjacent noun phrase in the sentence structure.
4
Determine the syntactic recipient of the verb's action in sentence 4.
The noun phrase 'all ongoing budget negotiations' serves as the primary entity affected by the transitive verb 'rendered', functioning as the direct object.
A direct object directly receives the action of a transitive verb.

Key Concept

Syntactic Functions of Noun Phrases
Question 185Question

Complete the sentence below by filling in each blank with the grammatically correct verb form.

Fill in the blanks below

The legal team, together with the external auditors, established that neither the chief executive officer nor the board members liable for the tax default under the current regulations.
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Answer

The first blank requires 'has' and the second blank requires 'are'.
The correct verb choices are 'has' for the first blank and 'are' for the second. The first blank requires the singular verb 'has' to agree with 'The legal team', because parenthetical additions introduced by 'together with' do not pluralize the subject. The second blank requires the plural verb 'are' because correlative conjunctions like 'neither... nor' enforce proximity concord, where the verb agrees with the nearest subject element ('board members').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary subject of the main clause and apply parenthetical concord rules.
The main subject is the collective noun phrase 'The legal team', which functions as a singular noun in this context. The intervening phrase 'together with the external auditors' is parenthetical.
Expressions such as 'together with', 'along with', 'as well as', and 'in addition to' do not form a compound plural subject. The verb must agree strictly with the primary head noun ('team'), taking the singular auxiliary 'has'.
2
Analyze the subject structure in the subordinate clause and apply the rule of proximity concord.
The subject of the clause is linked by the correlative conjunction 'neither ... nor', joining 'the chief executive officer' (singular) and 'the board members' (plural).
Under the principle of proximity concord governing correlative subjects ('either... or', 'neither... nor'), the verb agrees in number with the subject noun closest to it. Since 'board members' is plural and directly precedes the verb slot, the plural present verb 'are' must be used.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement (Parenthetical Expressions and Proximity Concord)
Question 186Question

Complete the sentence below by providing the most appropriate verb tense and aspect form for the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Scarcely had the keynote speaker stepped off the podium when the panel moderator announced that the committee members on the draft resolutions since early morning.
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Answer

had been deliberating
The verb form 'had been deliberating' accurately employs the past perfect continuous aspect. This is required because the deliberation began prior to the announcement ('since early morning') and was ongoing up to that past event in indirect reported speech governed by 'announced'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the main reporting verb and the temporal markers in the sentence.
The main clause verb 'announced' is in the simple past, while the time expression 'since early morning' denotes an action that started in the earlier past and continued up to the point of reporting.
Tense agreement rules require backshifting relative to past events, and duration starting before a past point requires perfect continuous aspect.
2
Determine the correct tense and aspect combination.
The past perfect continuous form ('had been deliberating') correctly signals an ongoing activity prior to and up to a past reference point.
Present tense forms cannot follow a past reporting verb when describing past events, and simple past cannot express continuous duration starting earlier.

Key Concept

Past Perfect Continuous Aspect in Reported Sequence of Tenses
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 187Question

Match each highlighted noun phrase in the sentences below to its correct syntactic function.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

The committee appointed Dr. Amina the head of research.
The management offered the outstanding candidate a full scholarship.
The sudden collapse of the bridge disrupted the local transport network.
Her main desire, a peaceful retirement in the village, kept her motivated.

Matches

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Answer

1. 'The committee appointed Dr. Amina the head of research' matches Object complement. 2. 'The management offered the outstanding candidate a full scholarship' matches Indirect object. 3. 'The sudden collapse of the bridge disrupted the local transport network' matches Direct object. 4. 'Her main desire, a peaceful retirement in the village, kept her motivated' matches Appositive.
Each noun phrase correctly pairs with its grammatical function based on its structural relationship within the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the syntactic role of 'the head of research' following the direct object 'Dr. Amina'.
The phrase defines and completes the meaning of the direct object, identifying its syntactic role as an object complement.
Verbs of naming or appointing take a direct object followed by an object complement.
2
Analyze the syntactic role of 'the outstanding candidate' preceding 'a full scholarship'.
The phrase identifies the beneficiary/recipient of the direct object, making it an indirect object.
In ditransitive verb patterns (Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object), the entity receiving the direct object is the indirect object.
3
Analyze the syntactic role of 'the local transport network' after the transitive verb 'disrupted'.
The phrase receives the action of the verb directly, functioning as the direct object.
Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their clause structure.
4
Analyze the syntactic role of 'a peaceful retirement in the village' placed next to 'Her main desire'.
The phrase restates and renames the subject noun phrase, functioning as an appositive.
A noun phrase set off by commas adjacent to another noun phrase to provide clarification or identity is an appositive.

Key Concept

Syntactic Functions of Nouns and Noun Phrases
Question 188Question

Neither the chief architect nor the site engineers _______ able to explain the structural defect discovered during the inspection. Which of the following verb forms correctly completes the sentence?

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Answer: were

Answer

The correct option is 'were'. When subjects are connected by 'neither... nor', the verb must agree in number and person with the noun phrase closest to it (the rule of proximity). Since 'the site engineers' is plural, the plural verb 'were' is required.
The correct option 'were' satisfies the rule of proximity concord. When two subject elements are joined by 'neither... nor', the verb must agree with the element closest to it. Here, 'the site engineers' is plural and closest to the gap, requiring the past-tense plural verb 'were'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the syntactic structure of the sentence.
The sentence uses the correlative conjunction pair 'neither... nor' joining two subjects: 'the chief architect' (singular) and 'the site engineers' (plural).
Correlative subjects governed by 'neither... nor' require proximity concord.
2
Determine which subject dictates verb agreement.
The noun phrase closest to the verb position is 'the site engineers', which is plural.
In proximity concord, the verb agrees strictly with the noun or pronoun nearest to it.
3
Select the verb form that matches the tense and plural number.
The past-tense plural verb 'were' fits grammatically before 'able to explain'.
The event refers to a completed past inspection.

Key Concept

Proximity Concord with Correlative Conjunctions (Either...or / Neither...nor)
Question 189Question

Match each italicized noun phrase in the sentences on the left with its precise syntactic function on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

"Dr. Arinze, *a renowned authority on constitutional law*, addressed the national symposium."
"Throughout the turbulent crisis, the lead negotiator remained *a beacon of calm for the diplomats*."
"The judicial panel proceeded with the inquiry despite *unrelenting political pressure*."
"The board of directors meticulously reviewed *the forensic audit's detailed findings* before voting."

Matches

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Answer

Each italicized noun phrase accurately matches its syntactic role: 'a renowned authority on constitutional law' is an appositive modifying the subject; 'a beacon of calm for the diplomats' is a subject complement following a linking verb; 'unrelenting political pressure' is a prepositional complement following 'despite'; and 'the forensic audit's detailed findings' is the direct object of 'reviewed'.
Each noun phrase is paired with its exact grammatical function based on syntactic position and relationship to surrounding verbals and prepositions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structural position of 'a renowned authority on constitutional law' relative to 'Dr. Arinze'.
It sits adjacent to the head noun 'Dr. Arinze' between commas and redefines the same entity.
Noun phrases that immediately follow another noun to rename or describe it function appositively.
2
Examine the verb 'remained' in the second sentence.
The verb 'remained' acts as a copular (linking) verb connecting the subject 'the lead negotiator' to its post-verbal attribute.
Noun phrases following linking verbs that describe or identify the subject serve as subject complements.
3
Identify the word preceding 'unrelenting political pressure' in the third sentence.
The word 'despite' is a preposition governing the noun phrase that follows.
A noun phrase governed by and immediately following a preposition functions as a prepositional complement.
4
Determine the relationship between the transitive verb 'reviewed' and 'the forensic audit's detailed findings'.
The noun phrase directly undergoes the action expressed by the verb 'reviewed'.
The entity receiving the direct action of a transitive verb is the direct object.

Key Concept

Syntactic Functions of Noun Phrases
Question 190Question

Which modal auxiliary verb correctly completes the sentence below?

"To ensure compliance with safety regulations, all factory visitors _______ wear protective helmets at all times."

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Answer: must

Answer

The modal auxiliary 'must' correctly completes the sentence by expressing obligation followed by a bare infinitive.
The modal auxiliary 'must' is used to express strong obligation or necessity and takes a bare infinitive verb ('wear') without 'to'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the required meaning in the sentence context.
The sentence expresses an official rule and necessity regarding visitor safety.
Safety regulations mandate compulsory compliance.
2
Evaluate the grammatical structure following modal auxiliaries.
Standard modal verbs (must, should, can, may) are followed directly by the base form of the verb (bare infinitive) without 'to'.
Pure modal auxiliaries do not take to-infinitive complements.
3
Select the option that provides both the correct modal meaning and valid syntax.
'must' correctly fits the context and follows standard modal syntax.
It expresses obligation without inserting an ungrammatical 'to' particle.

Key Concept

Modal Auxiliaries and Bare Infinitives
Question 191Question

Complete the sentence by supplying the grammatically correct word in the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

More than one candidate submitted an application for the prestigious scholarship award this year.
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Answer

The correct word to fill the blank is 'has'.
The correct word is 'has'. In formal English grammatical concord, the structure 'more than one' followed immediately by a singular countable noun (candidate) strictly takes a singular verb ('has').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject phrase and head noun structure.
The subject structure begins with the expression 'More than one' modifying the singular noun 'candidate'.
Establishing the noun phrase structure is necessary to determine subject-verb agreement.
2
Apply the rule of concord governing the phrase 'more than one'.
When 'more than one' modifies a singular noun, grammatical concord requires a singular verb.
Although the semantic meaning implies multiple candidates, grammatical agreement in formal English follows the singular form of the noun 'candidate'.
3
Select the correct singular auxiliary verb for the past participle 'submitted'.
The auxiliary verb 'has' forms the correct present perfect tense with 'submitted'.
'Has' agrees in singular number with 'More than one candidate'.

Key Concept

Concord with 'More Than One'
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 192Question

Which preposition correctly completes the sentence below?

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Having worked in the steel foundry for over two decades, the veteran artisan had become completely inured extreme heat and deafening noise.
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Answer

The correct preposition is 'to'.
The adjective 'inured' means accustomed to enduring something unpleasant and standard English syntax demands the dependent preposition 'to'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the predicate adjective governing the prepositional complement.
The target adjective is 'inured', which describes becoming accustomed to hardship, pain, or unpleasant conditions.
The governing word in the main clause dictates the required dependent preposition.
2
Apply the standard rule of dependent preposition collocation for 'inured'.
The adjective 'inured' strictly requires the dependent preposition 'to' (e.g., 'inured to hardship').
Substituting other prepositions such as 'with', 'against', or 'by' violates standard English prepositional usage.

Key Concept

Dependent prepositions with adjectives expressing habituation
Question 193Question

Complete the following sentence by providing the correct preposition that completes the standard grammatical collocation. What preposition best fills the blank?

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The administrative council warned that operating without executive oversight was strictly inimical the long-term stability of the institution.
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Answer

The correct preposition to fill the blank is 'to'.
The adjective 'inimical' strictly requires the dependent preposition 'to' when indicating that something is harmful or adverse to an entity or objective.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the adjective requiring a dependent preposition in the stem.
The word needing a prepositional complement is 'inimical'.
Certain adjectives in formal English govern specific dependent prepositions to express relationships.
2
Determine the standard prepositional collocation for 'inimical'.
The adjective 'inimical' (meaning harmful, adverse, or hostile) strictly collocates with 'to'.
Standard grammatical usage requires 'inimical to' when indicating detriment or opposition to something.

Key Concept

Dependent prepositions following formal adjectives (inimical to)
Question 194Question

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the grammatically correct verb form.

Fill in the blanks below

Chief Okon is one of the prominent community leaders who consistently advocated for youth empowerment in the state.
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Answer

The correct verb form to complete the sentence is 'have'.
In constructions of the form 'one of the [plural noun] who/that/which', the relative pronoun refers back to the plural noun antecedent, not to 'one'. Here, the relative pronoun 'who' refers to the plural noun 'community leaders'. Therefore, the verb inside the relative clause must be plural ('have').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject and structure of the relative clause.
The clause begins with the relative pronoun 'who' following the phrase 'one of the prominent community leaders'.
Determining the antecedent of the relative pronoun is essential to establishing proper verb agreement.
2
Identify the antecedent of the relative pronoun 'who'.
The antecedent is the plural noun phrase 'community leaders', not the singular pronoun 'one'.
The sentence indicates that multiple community leaders advocate for youth empowerment, and Chief Okon is one among them.
3
Select the verb form that agrees in number with the plural antecedent.
The plural auxiliary verb 'have' must be used.
A relative pronoun agrees in person and number with its antecedent, requiring a plural verb when the antecedent is plural.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Relative Pronouns (One of the + Plural Noun + Who/That/Which)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 195Question

Read the scenario below:

'The main vault gates remained fully sealed without any physical sign of forced entry, yet the confidential documents inside had vanished. Investigators concluded that the culprit __________ possessed the administrative clearance code to open the digital lock.'

Which of the following modal auxiliary phrases correctly completes the sentence to express a past logical deduction based on available evidence?

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Answer: must have

Answer

The phrase 'must have' is the correct choice because it appropriately expresses past logical certainty based on circumstantial evidence.
The phrase 'must have' is correct because 'must' + perfect infinitive ('have possessed') indicates a past deduction derived from strong logical evidence presented in the context.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the semantic meaning required by the sentence context.
The sentence presents strong circumstantial evidence ('vault gates remained fully sealed', 'documents vanished') requiring a expression of high certainty/logical deduction regarding a past event.
Modal auxiliaries express different attitudes like deduction, obligation, permission, or ability depending on context.
2
Select the correct structure for past logical deduction.
The modal auxiliary 'must' paired with the auxiliary 'have' and a past participle ('must have possessed') forms the past deduction structure.
'Must + have + past participle' is the standard grammatical structure for past logical conclusions.
3
Eliminate ungrammatical auxiliary structures.
Discard forms containing double modals ('might can'), incorrect infinitive markers ('must to'), or invalid verb inflections ('oughted').
Modal verbs do not inflect with tense suffixes and cannot be stacked directly alongside other modal verbs.

Key Concept

Expressing past logical deduction using modal auxiliaries
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 196Question

Read the sentence below and answer the question that follows:

'Given that all entry logs were automatically backed up to a remote server in real time, the suspect ________ modified the transaction details without leaving a detectable digital footprint.'

Which modal auxiliary verb phrase correctly completes the sentence to express past logical impossibility?

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Answer: could not have

Answer

The correct phrase is 'could not have' because it accurately expresses a logical deduction of past impossibility given the contextual evidence.
The modal structure 'could not have' correctly conveys a negative logical deduction regarding past events when evidence indicates the action was impossible.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The sentence establishes that automated real-time backups were present, making untraceable modification logically impossible.
Establishing the logical constraint dictates the specific semantic function required of the modal verb.
2
Select the modal structure for past impossibility
The structure 'could not have + past participle' expresses that an action was impossible in the past.
Modal auxiliaries combined with perfective aspect ('have + past participle') express past deductions.
3
Evaluate the grammatical correctness of distractors
Structures featuring double modals ('might not could have'), incorrect infinitive particles ('must not to have'), or improper past inflections ('should not had') violate modal syntax rules.
Modal auxiliaries must precede bare infinitives and cannot stack directly with other modal verbs.

Key Concept

Expressing past logical impossibility using modal auxiliaries (could not have + past participle)
Question 197Question

Select the option that best completes the sentence below:

'Having observed that the official security seal remained completely unbroken prior to the inspection, the lead auditor concluded that the consignment __________ tampered with during transit.'

Show answer & explanation

Answer: could not have been

Answer

The correct option is 'could not have been', which properly expresses a logical deduction of impossibility in the past based on available evidence.
The phrase 'could not have been' accurately expresses logical past impossibility. The contextual fact that the security seal was completely unbroken provides factual ground to logically deduce that tampering was impossible during transit.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the contextual clue provided in the sentence.
The clause 'the official security seal remained completely unbroken' provides definitive evidence regarding the state of the consignment.
Modal selection depends on the speaker's degree of certainty or logical deduction derived from surrounding context.
2
Determine the appropriate modal meaning and tense required.
The sentence requires a modal auxiliary structure that expresses logical deduction of impossibility in the past.
The event (transit) occurred in the past, and the unbroken seal logically rules out the possibility of tampering.
3
Evaluate grammatical compliance of modal auxiliary structures.
'Could not have been' correctly pairs the modal 'could' with the negative particle 'not' and the perfect passive auxiliary 'have been' followed by the past participle 'tampered'.
Modal verbs must be followed by a bare infinitive ('have'), and perfect passive constructions require 'been + past participle'.

Key Concept

Logical deduction of past impossibility using modal perfect passive structures ('could not have been + past participle').
Question 198Question

The committee urged all members to adhere _____ the new guidelines established by the governing council. Which option best fills the blank space?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: to

Answer

The correct choice is 'to'.
The verb 'adhere' conventionally collocates with the preposition 'to' when describing compliance with rules or guidelines.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the head verb requiring a dependent preposition in the sentence stem.
The target verb is 'adhere'.
Specific English verbs require fixed dependent prepositions to complete their meaning.
2
Select the fixed preposition that collocates with 'adhere'.
The correct preposition is 'to'.
In standard English grammar, one adheres to rules, standards, or principles.

Key Concept

Dependent Prepositions and Collocations
Question 199Question

During the emergency executive briefing, the board chairman noted that he would rather the lead investigator _____ the altered financial statements before the external auditors arrived last Tuesday. Which option grammatically fills the blank?

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Answer: had flagged

Answer

The past perfect form 'had flagged' correctly completes the sentence.
When the structure 'would rather + subject' is used to express a preference or regret about a past situation (indicated here by the past adverbial phrase 'before the external auditors arrived last Tuesday'), the verb in the dependent clause must be in the past perfect tense ('had flagged').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the syntactic structure of the sentence.
The sentence uses the preference construction 'would rather' followed by a personal subject ('the lead investigator') and a subordinate clause.
When 'would rather' is followed by a clause with a distinct subject, it requires a subjunctive verb pattern.
2
Determine the temporal reference of the event.
The clause contains the past time marker 'before the external auditors arrived last Tuesday'.
Identifying whether the preference refers to present/future time or past time determines the required verb tense.
3
Apply the rule for unreal past preference in English grammar.
For past time references, 'would rather + subject' takes the Past Perfect tense (had + past participle).
Simple past is reserved for present/future unreal preference, while past perfect expresses regret or unrealized desire about a past action.

Key Concept

Unreal Past Subjunctive with 'Would Rather'
Estimated Time:1m 15s
Question 200Question

Complete the sentence by filling in the blank with the appropriate modal auxiliary verb that expresses formal permission.

Fill in the blanks below

Candidates leave the hall only after handing in their answer scripts to the invigilator.
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Answer

may
In formal written English, 'may' is the primary modal auxiliary verb used to express or grant permission.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context and communicative function of the sentence.
The sentence sets out an official examination rule regarding granting permission to leave.
Identifying the communicative intent (permission, necessity, deduction, capability) determines the appropriate modal verb.
2
Select the modal auxiliary that denotes formal permission.
'May' is the standard modal verb for expressing formal permission in official contexts.
'May' explicitly conveys permission granted by an authority.

Key Concept

Modal Auxiliaries for Expressing Permission
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