Search results for “can vs. may”

Although, traditionally, can has meant "to be able" and may has meant "to be permitted" or to express possibility, both can and may are commonly used interchangeably (especially in spoken, informal language) in respect to permission. Even the Oxford English dictionary informs us that the permission use of can is not incorrect, but it's better and more polite to use may in formal …

Many of us may be aware that criteria are factors used in making a decision or ruling. At the same time, while this word is common among us, we might not always recognize the distinction between it and its singular form, criterion. If you've ever found yourself volleying between criteria and criterion, you're in the …

If you leave something in the oven for too long, it's probably going to burn. That's frustrating, but even worse is having to make a note about it later. Was your food burned, or was it burnt? What's the distinction between the words? In this quick post, we'll discuss the differences between burned and burnt …

As we're wont to note on our website, the English language—and American English in particular—is a living, breathing entity. It changes and grows with the times and occasionally across regions as well. It's no surprise, then, that we sometimes get questions about newer words and regional spellings. Today we'll discuss whether the dialectical ya'll or …

You may have seen both yours and your's written before, particularly if you read blogs and social media. (Both forms can appear often in text messages too.) How do you know which word treatment is correct? Let's get to the bottom of that—along with the reason why so much confusion surrounds this topic. Yours vs. …

Suppose you have a date coming up and want to take your partner to a place where live actors will perform in a play. If you are writing your note in American English, should you invite that person to the theatre or the theater? We'll give you a quick answer to the theatre vs. theater …

Do you know the difference between the words gauge and gage? Is there a difference at all? Is one just a misspelling of the other? If you've ever wondered, this discussion will help to clear things up. The Meaning of Gauge To establish the difference between gage and gauge, we should note that, at least …

When you want to describe something that took place in an instant, should you say all of a sudden or all of the sudden? Which is grammatically correct? This is a common question. The two variations look and sound alike and are often used interchangeably by native English writers and speakers. In fact, there may …

The subject of transmitted disease became relevant for all of humanity in late 2019 with the onset of COVID-19. As the disease spread and infected people all over the world, the word pandemic also gained prominence in our daily communications. English includes different words to convey the geographic scale of disease: endemic, epidemic, and pandemic. …

One of many things that make the English language both fascinating and perhaps confusing is that it always evolves over time and across regions. Because of that, there can be subtle differences in English usage and expression from one place or era to the next. That can sometimes create uncertainty about spelling, usage, and interpretation. …