Proper grammer

Question

My stepdaughter has lately been using "may" instead of "can" or "will", it doesn't sound right to me...

EG: May you pass the salt? instead of Will you pass the salt? or Will you pass the salt?

Can you help me with this question? We are debating it within the family.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

"May" is used in a polite request. Use it with the first person (I):

May I have the keys to the car?
May I please have some more ice cream?
May I help you?

When you are asking another person (you) doing the action, use "will" or the imperative:

Will you please pass me the salt?
Please go to the store and get me some milk.

"Can" is used informally for both 1st and 2nd person:
Can you help me?
Can I help you?

May also can be used with second person in formal language, but it is not everyday usage:

May you live long and prosper.

May you live in interesting times. (Purportedly a Chinese curse.)

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousMay you pass the salt?

This is definitely wrong. It asks, wrongly, if the listener has permission to pass the salt. The standard strategy is not to question whether the listener has been granted permission, but to question his ability to perform some act, thus, "Can you pass the salt?" The literal answer is "Yes", but the situational logic is that the listener will do whatever he can do, and extrapolate from "Yes, I can" to actually performing the act.

Generally, when you want someone to do something, you question his ability, expecting a "yes"; when you don't want someone to do something, you question his obligation, expecting a "no". In both cases the situational logic leads the listener (if cooperative) to take the statement as an imperative.

Can you hand me that hammer?

Do you have to play your radio so loud?

CJ

Proper grammer

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