Allowed vs Aloud at a glance
- allowed
/əˈlaʊd/ · adjective
Permitted; you have permission to do it.
- You're not allowed to smoke here.
- Dogs are allowed in the garden.
- aloud
/əˈlaʊd/ · adverb
In a voice that other people can hear.
- The teacher asked me to read the poem aloud.
- I was just thinking aloud.
How to remember it
Aloud has "loud" in it: you say it in a voice people can hear.
Good to know
Allowed is also the past tense of the verb allow: My parents allowed me to go.
Common mistakes
Wrong: Are we aloud to use phones in class?
Right: Are we allowed to use phones in class?
Wrong: Please read the question allowed.
Right: Please read the question aloud.
Quick quiz
1.Children aren't in the bar after 9 pm.
2.She laughed at the joke.
3.Is parking on this street?
Pick the right word for each gap.