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I Don’t Know…Can You?

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Meme

Maybe it’s due to the elementary school I attended, but whenever I hear someone ask “Can I…[fill in the blank],” my mind immediately responds with, “I don’t know…can you?”

Let me explain.

“Can” is formally used when asking about ability while “may” is used when requesting something.

Can May

Thus, if your friend asks, “Can I have another cookie?” you might feel justified to respond with, “I don’t know, can you?” Your friend is clearly requesting seconds while the response is questioning her ability to physically handle another cookie.

So which term is correct?

Examples

Sticklers for proper grammar (like myself) will always say “may” when making a request and “can” when asking about ability.

 The Dreaded Exception

Much to my dismay, the English language has evolved to allow the use of “can” when making a request in informal situations. Therefore, the friend asking if she can have another cookie is not technically incorrect. However, if you are writing or speaking in a business or educational situation (such as an email at work, your thesis paper or in a speech), stick with “may” when asking permission and “can” when asking about ability.

Exceptions

If you are not sure if you chose the correct word or you’re worried that you missed something during your initial review, contact Unscripted for a light edit.

Quick Guide to Understanding Prepositions

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Prepositions

You have probably heard someone say, “Never end a sentence with a preposition.” But do you know what that means or why it is a grammatical no-no?

A simple Google search will give you a list of prepositions or prepositional phrases (a partial list is located at the end of this blog). Prepositions show the relationship between two words: the object of the preposition and another word in the sentence.

Example

The preposition in the above example is “in.” To find the object of the preposition, ask “what?” The couple was dancing in what? Rain. The object of the preposition is the rain.

So what makes “in” the preposition? It explains the relationship between the dancing couple and the rain. Without the word “in,” we would not know if the couple was dancing while watching the rain, dancing for the rain or dancing after the rain. We need the preposition to explain the relationship.

How to Spot a Preposition

Consider a chair. Any action that you can take regarding that chair is likely a preposition. You can sit on, walk around, step over, crawl under, stare at, walk between, place something in, reach across, set something on or walk to the chair. These are all prepositions.

Prepositional Phrases

A preposition by itself will often get you into trouble (grammatical trouble anyway). Therefore, understanding prepositional phrases can help you avoid inadvertently ending a sentence with a preposition.

Prepositional phrases typically answer the questions, Where, When, How, How Many, Which One and What Kind?

The first word in a prepositional phrase is the preposition.

Story

People often end sentences with prepositions in common speech. (Example: What’s up?) However, written English is expected to adhere more closely to proper grammar rules.

Now we understand why Winston S. Churchill once said, “This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put.” He was referring to the confusing rule that one should not end a sentence with a preposition, even when using slang.

 Before sending an email or submitting your manuscript, do a quick check for sentences ending in prepositions. Here is an easy reference guide to help.

List of Common Prepositions

If you’re still not sure whether or not you’re using prepositions correctly, contact Unscripted for assistance.

Five Common Grammar Mistakes

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Charlie Brown

Even grammar Nazis make the occasional error. Here are a few of the most common grammar mistakes so you can avoid making them.

Its or It’s?

This is one of those exceptions that grammar Nazis are always discussing. In most cases, ‘s makes a word possessive. However, with “it” the ‘s makes it a contraction for “it is.” The possessive form is just its.

Its or It's.

There, Their or They’re?

Many people know the difference in these three words but they find themselves accidentally messing them up anyway. Be sure to double-check your usage when you proofread because, like many homonyms, this can be a tricky one for the untrained eye to catch.

There, Their, They're

Personal Pronouns for Entities

Personal pronouns such as “who/whom” or “they” are reserved for humans. Everything else is “it” or “that.”

Personal Pronouns for Entities

In the first sentence, the narrator is looking for a person, referred to as a “whom.” In the second sentence, the pronoun is referring to a company so “it” is the correct term.

Then or Than?

Then is used to reference time. Than is always (and only) used in comparisons.

Then or Than

“Of” Instead of “Have”

This is an error that many people don’t even know they’re making. It pertains to sentences that contain the words should, could or would. You may not think twice before saying something like “I should of gone to bed earlier last night.” However, the correct phrase is “I should have gone to bed earlier last night.”

Of Instead of Have

Think always have, never of.

These are only a few of the most common errors people make in everyday communication.
If you would like a professional to review something you have written for these and other common errors, visit the Contact page at http://www.unscriptedllc.com.