May vs Can
rogersgeorge on August 10th, 2024
Coloquial English often uses “may” as a mild version of “might.” Here’s an example of another misuse, neglecting that “may” is asking permission, not describing the ability to do something.
I had a job a while back writing some math curriculum for IBM. The PhDs in charge insisted that we use “can” when “may” would have been correct.
You might see “may” on traffic signs (The bridge may be icy). I can see how the limited space might justify using the shorter word.
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