\u2018Can\u2019 and \u2018may\u2019 are what are known as modal auxiliary verbs in English, a category of grammar that causes problems for learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are two reasons for these problems:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1) Modal verbs can operate differently in the learner\u2019s mother tongue<\/p>
2) Modal verbs in English have different meanings at different times, so it is a mistake to learn only one meaning.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Here we will look at the meanings of both \u2018can\u2019 and \u2018may\u2019, and then make a comparison between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using \u2018can\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Can\u2019 has two distinct meanings in English: ability and permission. It is vitally important to think about what meaning of \u2018can\u2019 is being used in any one sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Can\u2019 to express ability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Can\u2019 as an ability is probably the first meaning that learners discover in English, and this then creates the problem that this is the only<\/em> meaning of \u2018can\u2019 (which we already know to be untrue).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are some examples of \u2018can\u2019 meaning ability:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018I can speak two languages.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018I can\u2019t play the piano.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018Can you work late tonight?\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
All of these sentences are concerned with your ability (or inability to do something). It is important to understand that this ability is not always something personal, but also related to external factors. So, for example, perhaps you can\u2019t work late tonight because you have an appointment, which is an external factor, rather than your own personal ability or skill (such as speaking a language or playing the piano).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n
\u2018Can\u2019 to express permission<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Can\u2019 is also used to speak about permission, which could be self-prescribed, or due to external circumstances, such as formal rules. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018In the UK, you can drive when you are 17.\u2019<\/p><\/p>
\u2018You can\u2019t wear shoes in the house, my wife doesn\u2019t like it.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
However, it is not considered totally correct to use \u2018can\u2019 to ask for permission. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Can I smoke here?\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
We will talk about this more in a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using \u2018may\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018May\u2019 also has two meanings in English: to talk about possibility, and to talk about permission (like \u2018can\u2019). It is, therefore, this second meaning of \u2018may\u2019 (permission) that causes the confusion with \u2018can\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018May\u2019 to express possibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018May\u2019, much like \u2018might\u2019 is used to suggest that there is a possibility that something will happen, but without confirming it. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018It may rain later.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018There may not be another opportunity to do this.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
However, notice that \u2018may\u2019 is not used to talk about personal actions. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018I may go to the party.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
That is because the meaning of \u2018may\u2019 then becomes confused with the second reason that we use \u2018may\u2019, which is to expression permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018May\u2019 to express permission<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018May\u2019 is typically used to talk about permission to do something. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018I may go to the party\u2019. (I have been given permission to go to the party)<\/p>
\u2018I may not go to the party.\u2019 (I am not allowed)<\/p><\/p>
\u2018May I go to the bathroom?\u2019 (Do you allow me to do that?)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
In is in this last instance that \u2018can\u2019 would be used more informally to have the same meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Comparing \u2018can\u2019 and \u2018may\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So, let\u2019s take a look again at the way we would ask for permission in English. In such instances it would be better to use \u2018may\u2019 so as not to confuse the meaning of \u2018can\u2019 as an ability or as permission. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Can I smoke here?\u2019<\/p>
\u2018I don\u2019t know, can you?\u2019 (asking if you have the ability to smoke)<\/p>
\u2018May I smoke here?\u2019<\/p>
\u2018Yes you may\u2019 or \u2018No you may not\u2019 (Giving permission)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
However, in reality, English speakers would use \u2018can\u2019 in the above example with the same result:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Can I smoke here?\u2019<\/p>
\u2018Yes you can\u2019 or \u2018No you can\u2019t\u2019 (Giving permission informally)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
It therefore all comes down to context, and who your audience is. The reality is that, in informal settings (with friends, for example), \u2018can\u2019 is very often interchanged with \u2018may\u2019 to ask for permission and to even express that the permission has been given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, technically speaking, and therefore in a more polite or formal environment, it would always be better to use \u2018may\u2019 to ask for permission, and to express that permission has been given or denied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why these two words \u2018can\u2019 cause problems, or is that \u2018may\u2019?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2018Can\u2019 and \u2018may\u2019 are what are known as modal auxiliary verbs in English, a category of grammar that causes problems for learners. There are two reasons for these problems: 1) Modal verbs can operate differently in the learner\u2019s mother tongue 2) Modal verbs in English have different meanings at different times, so it is a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[608,546,468,15,531,609,568],"class_list":["post-1475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar","tag-can","tag-english-as-a-second-language","tag-english-learning","tag-grammar","tag-grammatical-errors","tag-may","tag-vocabulary"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Using \u2018Can\u2019 and \u2018May\u2019 - Linguix Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/linguix.com\/blog\/using-can-and-may\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Using \u2018Can\u2019 and \u2018May\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u2018Can\u2019 and \u2018may\u2019 are what are known as modal auxiliary verbs in English, a category of grammar that causes problems for learners. 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