Permit Doing vs. Permit Someone To Do
Cambridge documents both “permit + -ing” and “permit + object + to-infinitive.” The first foregrounds the permitted activity; the second identifies the person or thing permitted to perform it.
Use “permit + -ing” when the permitted action itself is the object; use “permit + person + to-infinitive” when you name who is permitted to act.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| the permitted action itself is the object | permit + -ing | Use the gerund pattern. |
| a named person or group is permitted to act | permit + object + to-infinitive | Name the actor before the infinitive. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Do you explicitly name who receives permission?
If yes: Use “permit + person + to do.”
If no: Use “permit + -ing” when the action itself is what is permitted.
Examples
The rules permit parking after 6 p.m.
“Parking” is the action that is permitted.
The rules permit visitors to park after 6 p.m.
“Visitors” names who is permitted to act.
Further guidance
Ing Pattern
Use permit + -ing when the activity itself is what the rule or authority permits.
Object Pattern
Use permit + person/thing + to-infinitive when the sentence identifies who or what is permitted to perform the action.
Register Boundary
Permit is relatively formal compared with allow or let, so the construction is common in rules, policies and official contexts.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- permit — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Permit + -ing and permit + object + to-infinitive patterns