if he permits

USAGE SUMMARY

"if he permits" is correct and it can be used in written English.
This phrase is typically used when asking for or requesting permission from another person as in this example sentence: I would like to borrow your car, if he permits.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Even if he permits a serious investigation, Mr. Musharraf will need to do a lot more to calm furies in Pakistan.

The New York Times

To many English speakers it seems ludicrous that the criterion of competence in a language should be strict adherence to grammar-book rules rather than nativelike performance, but in Romance countries a foreigner is often frowned upon if he permits himself the "negligence" of native usage, rather than the more stilted correct expression.

Encyclopedia Britannica

If he permits it to roll over him, the wave passes on.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Mr. Museveni's leadership would be far more impressive if he permitted opposition parties and free elections, a point Mr. Bush should insist on.

The New York Times

The New York Times later wrote, "The mother of nearly every one of the high school's team had visited Principal H. W. Dutsch and informed him that if he permitted the game to be played and their sons were injured, they should hold him personally responsible".

The New York Times - Sports

This fall, Turkey's prime minister gave Assad an ultimatum: If he permitted the Kurdish independence movement or guerrilla PKK (Kurdistan Workers Partyy) cells to operate in his country, Turkey would attack.

Vice

He permitted, if not encouraged, police officers to wage a long campaign of humiliation against black men and boys, stopping them and frisking them on the ground, or against walls, or over the hoods of cars -- tens of thousands of men and boys who had done nothing wrong.

The New York Times

So if he were permitted to take a club trick, he was home.

The New York Times

As for the Democrats, Mark Green said he, too, would acquiesce, but only if he were permitted to serve a full four-year term if elected.

The New York Times

"Frank Sinatra was the headliner at Caesar's Palace, and we sent a message asking him if he would permit us to come to the lounge," Mr. King recalled.

The New York Times

Marcus writes of an editor at Viking during the inflation-straitened 1970s, who, "in fear and trembling," was obliged to ask Robert McCloskey if he would permit the reprinting of "Make Way for Ducklings" without a dust jacket.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "if he permits" when you want to express a condition that depends on someone else's approval or permission. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts but avoid overuse in very casual settings.

Common error

Avoid using "if he permit" due to subject-verb agreement errors. The correct form requires the third-person singular "permits" when referring to "he".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "if he permits" functions as a conditional clause, introducing a condition that must be met for the main clause to be true. Ludwig confirms that this is a correct and usable phrase in written English. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its use in expressing dependence on someone else's approval.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "if he permits" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase in English, as confirmed by Ludwig. It functions as a conditional clause, expressing that an action or event depends on someone else's permission or approval. While relatively uncommon, it's suitable for both formal and informal contexts, with the Ludwig examples showing its presence in news articles and encyclopedic entries. It's essential to use the correct subject-verb agreement ("permits" for "he") and to consider alternative phrases like "assuming he allows" or "provided he consents" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assuming he allows

Replaces "permits" with "allows" and uses "assuming" to introduce the condition.

provided he consents

Substitutes "permits" with "consents" and uses "provided" to indicate the condition.

if he gives permission

Replaces "permits" with the more explicit "gives permission".

should he authorize

Uses a more formal verb "authorize" and an inverted conditional structure.

in the event he approves

Employs a more formal and elaborate construction to convey conditionality.

on the condition he lets

Emphasizes the conditional nature with "on the condition" and uses the verb "lets".

assuming that he grants

Utilizes "assuming that" for condition and replaces "permits" with "grants".

contingent on his agreement

Uses a more formal and abstract construction, focusing on the agreement as the condition.

if he sanctions it

Employs "sanctions" to imply a more official or authoritative permission.

provided that he endorses

Replaces "permits" with "endorses" for conditionality.

FAQs

How can I use "if he permits" in a sentence?

You can use "if he permits" to introduce a conditional clause that relies on someone's consent or approval. For instance, "We will proceed with the project, "if he permits" us to use his land".

What phrases are similar in meaning to "if he permits"?

Similar phrases include "assuming he allows", "provided he consents", or "if he gives permission". The choice depends on the level of formality and the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "if he permits" formal or informal?

"If he permits" is generally neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. More formal alternatives include "should he authorize" or "in the event he approves", while more informal options might involve phrasing like "if he's okay with it".

What is the difference between "if he permits" and "if he allowed"?

"If he permits" suggests a current or future possibility, while "if he allowed" refers to a past situation. For example, "We can use the equipment, "if he permits", us but it is past tense if you would say, we could have used the equipment, if he allowed us".