allow

allow — 動詞

1. to say that a person may do a particular action, or to choose not to stop an eve

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

允許；准許

讓某人做某事，或不阻止某事發生

to say that a person may do a particular action, or to choose not to stop an event when you have the power to.

例句

Mrs. Lin allows her students to use dictionaries during the writing test.

林老師允許學生在寫作測驗時使用字典。

allow + somebody + to-infinitive

Smoking is not allowed inside the train station.

火車站內不准吸菸。

passive: be allowed (typical for rules and signs)

同義詞
  • permit

    more formal; common on signs and in legal or written rules

  • let

    more casual; takes a bare infinitive (let her go, not let her to go)

  • authorize

    official permission, usually from someone in power

反義詞
  • forbid

    strong refusal of permission

  • prohibit

    formal; common in rules and notices

  • ban

    official, often public; usually about a whole activity

文法句型

allow + somebody + to-infinitive

allow + -ing verb

allow + somebody + something

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 2: this sense always involves a person or rule giving permission, while sense 2 is about something making an outcome possible. The pattern 'allow + somebody + to-infinitive' is the most frequent shape; the bare-infinitive shape used with 'let' is wrong here.

常見錯誤

❌My mom allows me go out tonight.
✅My mom allows me to go out tonight.
💡'allow' needs 'to' before the verb; only 'let' takes a bare infinitive.
❌The teacher let me to leave early.' (with 'let')
✅The teacher allowed me to leave early.
💡if you want the 'to' pattern, switch the verb to 'allow' or 'permit'.
❌They don't allow to smoke here.
✅They don't allow smoking here.' OR 'Smoking is not allowed here.
💡without a named person, use the -ing form or the passive.

2. to make it possible for a person or thing to do something, or for something to h

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

使可能

讓某事得以發生或被做到

to make it possible for a person or thing to do something, or for something to happen, often by removing a barrier — for example, a wide window allows light into a room, or a tax cut allows families to save more.

例句

The big windows in Farouk's kitchen allow plenty of sunlight to come in.

Farouk 廚房的大窗戶讓充足的陽光得以照進來。

allow + something + to-infinitive (cause/enable)

A strong Wi-Fi signal allows hundreds of people to work from the cafe.

強大的 Wi-Fi 訊號讓上百人能在這間咖啡店工作。

subject is a thing, not a person

同義詞
  • enable

    very close in meaning; slightly more formal and often used in technology contexts

  • permit

    can mean 'make possible' but sounds formal in this sense

反義詞
  • prevent

    stop something from being possible

文法句型

allow + somebody/something + to-infinitive

allow + noun phrase

用法筆記

Subject is usually a thing, system, or condition rather than a person. Distinguish from sense 1: nobody is granting permission here — the subject simply makes the action possible. Often paired with abstract nouns (access, growth, movement, communication).

常見錯誤

❌The map allows finding the museum easily.
✅The map allows you to find the museum easily.
💡when the subject is a thing, learners often forget the human object before 'to'.

3. to plan or set aside enough of something — usually time, money, or space — so th

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

預留

事先留出足夠的時間、金錢或空間

to plan or set aside enough of something — usually time, money, or space — so that you have what you need for a particular purpose.

例句

Allow at least two hours for the drive from Taipei to Hualien on Sunday.

週日從台北開車到花蓮，至少要預留兩小時。

allow + amount + for + noun (planning time)

Sofia allowed an extra fifty dollars in her budget for souvenirs.

Sofia 在預算裡多留了五十美元買紀念品。

allow + amount + in + noun (planning money)

同義詞
  • set aside

    everyday phrasal verb; very natural in spoken English

  • budget

    specifically for money or time, often as a verb

  • reserve

    more formal; can apply to seats, rooms, or amounts

文法句型

allow + amount + for + noun

allow + amount + of + noun

用法筆記

Object is almost always a measurable amount (time, money, space, weight). Frequently paired with 'for' to introduce the purpose. Distinguish from sense 1: no permission is involved — you are simply planning ahead.

常見錯誤

❌I allowed to buy some snacks in my budget.
✅I allowed some money for snacks in my budget.
💡this sense takes a quantity as its object, not a to-infinitive.