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For you: 'Will you?' and 'May I?'.

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dark_secrester

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Hi, I decided to write an informative post on the usage of 'Will you?' and 'May I?'.

First, I must mention that, although others may use it, it is grammatically incorrect to write 'Can I?', as in this example;
'Can I have a bag of potato chips please?'.
This example, although you may believe that it sounds correct, is incorrect. Using 'Can' is the same as asking the below, which is literally what the above means;
'Is it possible that I am able to have a bag of potato chips?'.
The correct answer to this would be:
'Yes, you can.'. This states that it is entirely possible for you to have a bag of potato chips, but is actually asking if you are allowed to take one.

The correct way to ask for somebody to give you something is to use 'May':
'May I have a bag of potato chips please?'.
This is asking, literally:
'Am I allowed to have a bag of potato chips? If so, I will go and get some.'.
The above is an unused sentence however. The first part is asking the same thing as using 'can', whereas the second part means that, if you are allowed to get a bag, then you will go and get a bag.
It is politer to use 'May', and it also asks the actual question you want.

So remember, 'Can' is a question of possibilty, whilst 'May' asks possibilty and if it is possible, allows you to take it.

Section 2: Will you?

'Will you?' is a little bit easier to understand.
Again, to ask:
'Can you buy me a bottle of pepsi?' asks whether or not they are able to.
'Could you buy me a bottle of pepsi?' asks the same question as 'can'.
'Would you buy me a bottle of pepsi?' asks whether or not they would, however, it is incorrect due to this:
'Would you?' means 'Do you want?', which isn't correct. To go off topic a little, this is similar to an incorrect phrase 'If you like'.
Example:
A:Would you like a cup of coffee?
B:If you like.

A is asking if B wants a cup of coffee. B is going against this by saying 'If you like.', almost exactly the same as A's usage of the word 'Would', which sort of cancels it out.

Would is used purely to say 'Do you want' or 'Should I give you'.

Back on topic: The correct phrase is:
'Will you buy me a bottle of pepsi?'.

The reason for this is below:
'Are you able to, and if yes, are you going to buy me a bottle of pepsi?'.

'Will' asks: 'Are you going to?' whilst as the same time, in a similar way to 'may', asks if the following statement is possible.

A little thing to remember, if you don't want to remember all of the above:

'May I' and 'Will you'. Say it out loud a few times now.
Seriously though, this is to help perfect your English: many people, including my family and friends, incorrectly use questions of possibility rather than these. If you forget, it is not big problem, it simply helps those who want to perfect their English.

Hope you find this topic helpful, and I hope you understand.
 
Can I have a bag of chips? = informal English, perfectly acceptable
May I have a bag of chips? = polite English, also perfectly acceptable

You are over-analyzing these usages, IMO.
See grammar point 124 in Practical English Usage, Michael Swan

Can you buy me a Coke?
Could you buy me a Coke? = all 3 informal English, perfectly acceptable
Would you buy me a Coke?

("Would" is a shortened conditional form for "if I were to ask you to do this, would you do it for me?" It is not as strong as the "want" explanation you gave. Wanting has nothing or little to do with the responder, IMO.)

"Will you" can be used for the immediate future, usually something decided right now. It can also be used for the purpose of asking someone to do something for you, as in your example. Essentially no difference.
See grammar point 604, Practical English Usage. (Would is a softer form than will.)

Again, IMO you are over-analyzing. Try teaching this to Japanese kids the way you have outlined, and you are going to confuse the heck out of them. They might pass a point or two on their college entrance exams, but we all know that such exams are stilted and tend to use a lot of old-fashioned or overly formal English, not what kids need to know in conversation. So, it depends on what goals you have for your learners.
 
Haha, this instantly reminds me of some teachers in schools. You ask them, "Can I go get a drink?" and they respond with something like, "Well, it is certainly possible to do so. However, if you were to ask, 'MAY I go get a drink', yes, you MAY."

I'm sorry, but I find it to be kind of nitpicking and annoying when teachers do that.
 
I appreciate your efforts dark secrester, in helping out, in posting things about English here on the sub-fora. This is a good way to encourage learning and thought, critical thinking and testing of ideas.

As Glenski has also suggested, I would offer the opinion that while your explanations are generally very accurate in the strictest sense, what we would find out there in the real world--and as always, I make appeal to pragmatics--is a much more lax mode of operation and communication.

Having knowledge of the stricter interpretations and hard-lined teachings is a good thing to have unders the belt, however, and I hope learners of English will take note of these examples too.
 
Thanks for pointing that out. I can get confused with these thing really.

But, in my opinion, using "can","could","would", etc. depends on how you want to ask someone. Just keep it normal and don't confuse someone. I have no problems with these though. I usually have problems with "has" or "have" sometimes.
 
A good article. My only recurrent constructive criticism of these kinds of things is that the explanations are a little wordy. Less advanced learners may have difficulty following the flow of ideas here.

I also might add that in some cases its tough to say whether 'Can I' is completely inaccurate.

I think in the days of olde, a question such as 'Can I interest you in a drink?' wouldn't have been incorrect. Quite literally, the speaker is wondering not whether the listener will accept the drink, but whether it is actually possible for the speaker to convince them to have one in the first place. I think it really depends on the verb that follows. The following examples are what I'd still consider to be accurate:

"Can I get fries with that?"
"Can you make the font any larger? I can't see it very well."

As the OP pointed out its used more so in cases of possibility, however these can closely resemble direct requests.
 
This is correct, how ever, each of these are more possibility orientated than allowance. 'Can I interest you in a drink?' is asking if it is possible for someone to be interested in a drink from you.

'Can I get fries with that?' is another example of incorrectness, however, it is used by many people. Therefore, it isn't incorrect.
"Can you make the font any larger? I can't see it very well." Is also another possibility question. It asks if it is possible to make the font larger.

It is perfectly acceptable to use these, but yes it is good to have good grammar ready for if you need it!
 
The only time I would worry about strict grammar rules, such as the one presented in this thread, would be while writing important essays for school/work.
 
Hi, I decided to write an informative post on the usage of 'Will you?' and 'May I?'.
First, I must mention that, although others may use it, it is grammatically incorrect to write 'Can I?', as in this example;
'Can I have a bag of potato chips please?'.
This example, although you may believe that it sounds correct, is incorrect. Using 'Can' is the same as asking the below, which is literally what the above means;
'Is it possible that I am able to have a bag of potato chips?'.
The correct answer to this would be:
'Yes, you can.'. This states that it is entirely possible for you to have a bag of potato chips, but is actually asking if you are allowed to take one.
The correct way to ask for somebody to give you something is to use 'May':
'May I have a bag of potato chips please?'.
This is asking, literally:
'Am I allowed to have a bag of potato chips? If so, I will go and get some.'.
The above is an unused sentence however. The first part is asking the same thing as using 'can', whereas the second part means that, if you are allowed to get a bag, then you will go and get a bag.
It is politer to use 'May', and it also asks the actual question you want.
So remember, 'Can' is a question of possibilty, whilst 'May' asks possibilty and if it is possible, allows you to take it.
Section 2: Will you?
'Will you?' is a little bit easier to understand.
Again, to ask:
'Can you buy me a bottle of pepsi?' asks whether or not they are able to.
'Could you buy me a bottle of pepsi?' asks the same question as 'can'.
'Would you buy me a bottle of pepsi?' asks whether or not they would, however, it is incorrect due to this:
'Would you?' means 'Do you want?', which isn't correct. To go off topic a little, this is similar to an incorrect phrase 'If you like'.
Example:
A:Would you like a cup of coffee?
B:If you like.
A is asking if B wants a cup of coffee. B is going against this by saying 'If you like.', almost exactly the same as A's usage of the word 'Would', which sort of cancels it out.
Would is used purely to say 'Do you want' or 'Should I give you'.
Back on topic: The correct phrase is:
'Will you buy me a bottle of pepsi?'.
The reason for this is below:
'Are you able to, and if yes, are you going to buy me a bottle of pepsi?'.
'Will' asks: 'Are you going to?' whilst as the same time, in a similar way to 'may', asks if the following statement is possible.
A little thing to remember, if you don't want to remember all of the above:
'May I' and 'Will you'. Say it out loud a few times now.
Seriously though, this is to help perfect your English: many people, including my family and friends, incorrectly use questions of possibility rather than these. If you forget, it is not big problem, it simply helps those who want to perfect their English.
Hope you find this topic helpful, and I hope you understand.
im confused, and english is my first language lol
 
This is correct, how ever, each of these are more possibility orientated than allowance. 'Can I interest you in a drink?' is asking if it is possible for someone to be interested in a drink from you.
'Can I get fries with that?' is another example of incorrectness, however, it is used by many people. Therefore, it isn't incorrect.
"Can you make the font any larger? I can't see it very well." Is also another possibility question. It asks if it is possible to make the font larger.
It is perfectly acceptable to use these, but yes it is good to have good grammar ready for if you need it!
I'm sorry, dark_secrester, but you are taking things far too literally. Using can in those ways is perfectly acceptable for the way we have described. "Can" is not used only in the way you describe.
 
Can I have a bag of chips? = informal English, perfectly acceptable
May I have a bag of chips? = polite English, also perfectly acceptable
You are over-analyzing these usages, IMO.
See grammar point 124 in Practical English Usage, Michael Swan
Can you buy me a Coke?
Could you buy me a Coke? = all 3 informal English, perfectly acceptable
Would you buy me a Coke?
("Would" is a shortened conditional form for "if I were to ask you to do this, would you do it for me?" It is not as strong as the "want" explanation you gave. Wanting has nothing or little to do with the responder, IMO.)
"Will you" can be used for the immediate future, usually something decided right now. It can also be used for the purpose of asking someone to do something for you, as in your example. Essentially no difference.

I agree on this, however this also depends on the situation that you are exposed too and in some cases, one word(s) can mean multi-able meanings depending on situation, the initial request and body language. One of the best thing for anyone who wants to learn, is to watch and listen to various situations on how people interact with each other first hand. Hopefully, this will help with the problem of understanding how certain words are used and give you 'the learner' more of an idea of the concept of small talk. (probably the hardest part of learning)

I may or may not be right on some aspects that is for you's to decide that, but i do know that learning any sort of language also involves trying to understanding small talk behaviour(s).
 
I am not taking the language too literally.
Through modern day speaking 'can' has become a term used. However, 50 years ago people would use 'may'.

If you don't want to use 'may', then think of it as background history on the English language.
Smeagol, I do agree that it is good to learn the intricasies of 'small talk', but I myself prefer to use may rather than can.

When asking for a job, at the interview it is more correct and shows that you have better grammar when you say 'may'.

Regardless, you make your own choice on the matter.
 
I am not taking the language too literally.
Through modern day speaking 'can' has become a term used. However, 50 years ago people would use 'may'.
If you don't want to use 'may', then think of it as background history on the English language.
dark_secrester,

This is not 50 years ago. People accept the use of 'can' as I have explained. Not just laymen, either. Look in grammar references like Practical English Usage.
 
I have already said, if you read my posts thoroughly, that you are able to use both, but it is good to know both.
 
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