1. Usage of ‘Can’
1. Indicates ability → “can, able to”
We can speak English. → We cannot (can’t) speak English.
We can speak English. We cannot speak English.
Can you dance the disco? → Yes, I can. / No, I can’t.
Can you dance? Yes, I can. No, I can’t.
(At this point, ‘be able to’ can be used instead. ‘Can’ only has present and past simple forms; whereas ‘be able to’ has more tenses.)
We are able to speak English.
= We can speak English.
We can speak English.
We were able to speak English at the age of five.
= We could speak English at the age of five.
We could speak English when we were five years old.
Tom will be able to go traveling abroad.
Tom will be able to travel abroad.
2. Indicates request or permission → “may”
Can I borrow your book?
→ Yes, you can. / No, I’m afraid not.
Can I borrow your book?
Yes, you can. No, I’m afraid not.
You can sit down.
You may sit down.
3. Indicates objective possibility → “may, might”
I think he can come back soon.
I think he may come back soon.
But in negative sentences, it indicates a negative assumption “cannot, must not”.
He can’t be a policeman.
He cannot be a policeman.
My father can’t be at home because he is busy working.
My father must not be at home because he is busy working.
4. ‘Could’ is the past tense of ‘can’, used in past tense.
I can swim now.
I can swim now.
But I couldn’t swim last summer.
But I could not swim last summer.
She said she could play the piano.
She said she could play the piano.
But in the present simple tense, both ‘can’ and ‘could’ can indicate requests and permissions, but ‘could’ is more polite.
Could you help me with my English?
→ Yes./No problem/Sure/All right.
Could you help me with my English?
Yes./No problem/Sure/All right.
Could you please come to my office?
→ Sorry, I’m afraid not (I can’t).
Could you come to my office?
Sorry, I’m afraid I can’t come.
Could I see your driving license?
→ Of course you can.
Could I see your driving license?
Of course you can.
2. Usage of ‘May’
‘Might’ is the past tense of ‘may’, and ‘might’ can refer to past time or present time, with a more polite tone when referring to present time.
1. Indicates request or permission → “may”
You may (might) use my English book.
You may use my English book.
May (Might) I smoke in this room?
May I smoke in this room?
→ Yes, you may/you can/Sure/Of course.
Yes, you may/you can/Sure/Of course.
→ No, you can’t/you may not/you mustn’t.
No, you can’t/you may not/you mustn’t.
In special negative responses, indicating “not allowed, prohibited” is often expressed with ‘must not’ (mustn’t).
May I smoke in this room?
May I smoke in this room?
→ No, you mustn’t. It is harmful to others’ health.
No, you mustn’t. It is harmful to others’ health.
Using ‘May I…?’ to seek permission is more formal and polite, while using ‘Can I…?’ is more common in spoken language.
2. Indicates speculation, belonging to uncertain speculation, with a small possibility → “may, might”.
He may (might) be my English teacher.
He may (might) be my English teacher.
I may (might) go fishing tomorrow.
I may (might) go fishing tomorrow.
Note:
1) ‘Might’ does not refer to past time; it indicates a smaller possibility than ‘may’.
2) ‘Can/May/Could/Might I…..?’ indicates a request for permission. Among them, ‘can’ is the least formal, ‘could’ is more polite, and ‘may/might’ are used in formal occasions, with a polite tone; ‘might’ is more polite than ‘may’.
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