Formality | Example |
---|---|
formal |
May I go to the bathroom? May he use your phone? |
medium formal | Could I borrow your dictionary? Could he pay you tomorrow? |
casual | Can I call you back later? Can she have a cookie? |
Now, look at the (main) verbs that come after the subject.
They are always in the simple form, just like after the other modal verbs.
The most polite/formal way to answer these questions is “may.”
Examples:
May I go to the washroom? | Yes, you may (go to the washroom) Yes, you can |
No, you may not No, you cannot/can't |
Can she have a cookie? | Yes, she can | No, she cannot/can’t |