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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > help please...    

help please...



mahlove
Japan

help please...
 
Can you help me whats the difference of may i and shall i? im confuesed. the teaching style here in Japan is different. please help me to understand more. im not sure with the explanation of my teacher. :(

28 Aug 2014      





lewisronaldc
United States

We often use [ may I] when asking if we can do something that involves just one person [myself] , such as may I have a cookie, may I take your coat? and [shall I] when the happening involves more than one person, such as shall I pass out the cookies, or shall I put all the guests � coats in the closet? However as an American whose country is made up of English speaking people from all over the world, I have had these two phrases reversed and both are asking for permission to do something. After all, we are talking about understandable communication. May I is considered more polite by some. 0

28 Aug 2014     



Tere-arg
Argentina

May I...? is used to ask for permission.

May I use your  phone?


Shall I...? is used to ask for instructions, advice

Shall I do the exercise now?

28 Aug 2014