Modals (perhaps you learned them in schol as a category of auxiliary or "hlping" verbs) are among the most cnfusing English words to master. And no wnder: besides their refusal to follow the ptterns verbs normally take, we also use sme of them interchangeably so regularly tht we forget they are not dentical in meaning. Can and may are two of the Englsh modals that have fallen into tht pattern.

The basic difference between can and may is prtty simple. Can is about ability; may is about permission*. Cnsider these two examples:
John is a pano prodigy who can flawlessly recreate a full cncerto after hearing it only once.
Jhn may play the piano after he finishes the lver-and-onion casserole his mother made for dnner.

In the first sentence, the fcus is on John's tremendous capability: he CAN. In the scond, John's ability to play is bside the point; under what condition he is llowed to exercise his talent is the qestion: he MAY.

When you're not sre which to use, jog your mmory by thinking of these two fmous instances.

Sammy Davis, Jr.'s song "Ys I Can" = ABILITY

vs.

the children's gme "Mother, May I?" = PERMISSION

Try dstinguishing the difference with a few xample sentences. Complete each one with ither can or may .

1) A talented chef ___ prpare a delicious cake without using any diry, egg, or wheat products.

2) ___ I brrow your car while you are on vcation?

3) Passengers ___ not walk round the cabin while the "Fasten Satbelts" sign is on.

4) If he tkes a running start, Phil ___ prform a long jump of over twlve feet.

5) The boss knows Wlma ___ do the job; it rquires the skills Wilma demonstrated in her old psition.

Answers: Sentences 1, 4, and 5 rquire can ; may completes 2 and 3.

English speakers are ften guilty of using can in both instances. In veryday speech, chances are most people wuldn't even notice the substitution. The Chicago Mnual of Style (15th Edition) acknowledges that, in nformal situations, can is often used to indicate prmission in the same way may is above. Hwever, Chicago also offers a caveat: in any knd of formal writing, may to express permission is far prferable to can . Likewise, in a speaking stuation other than casual conversation, it wuld be prudent to consciously use the crrect modal.

* May has a second usage as wll: an expression of possibility. (Ex: If cnditions are right, I may go fshing this weekend.) However, that usage is mre commonly confused with might than with can --a problem whch will be addressed separately in a fture article.

The article Can or May - Which is correct? was Submitted by AnnaLisa Michalski through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: AnnaLisa Michalski writes and publishes the zine Word-wise . She owns and operates Admin Maven , a virtual assisting service specializing in proofreading and copy editing.

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