Shall vs May - What's the difference?
shall | may |
(modal auxiliary verb, defective)
* 1900 , L. Frank Baum , The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapter 23
(obsolete) To owe.
(obsolete) To be strong; to have power (over).
(obsolete, auxiliary) To be able; can.
*, II.3.6:
(poetic) To be able to go.
* 1600 , (William Shakespeare), (w, A Midsummer Night's Dream) , III.3:
(modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have permission to, be allowed. Used in granting permission and in questions to make polite requests.
(modal auxiliary verb, defective) Expressing a present possibility; possibly.
* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 1, author=Phil Dawkes, work=BBC Sport
, title=[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/15045630.stm Sunderland 2-2 West Brom]
, passage=The result may not quite give the Wearsiders a sweet ending to what has been a sour week, following allegations of sexual assault and drug possession against defender Titus Bramble, but it does at least demonstrate that their spirit remains strong in the face of adversity.}}
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
, title=[http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21580518-terrible-name-interesting-trend-rise-smart-beta The rise of smart beta]
, passage=Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.}}
(subjunctive present, defective) Expressing a wish (with present subjunctive effect).
* 1974 , (Bob Dylan),
* Prior
To gather may.
* 1922 , , VII, lines 1-2
In modal auxiliary verb defective terms the difference between shall and may
is that shall is Used before a verb to indicate the simple future tense, particularly in the first person singular or plural.may is expressing a present possibility; possibly.As a noun may is
the hawthorn bush or its blossoms.As a proper noun May is
the fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, following April and preceding June.shall
English
Verb
(wikipedia shall)- I shall sing in the choir tomorrow .
- "My third command to the Winged Monkeys," said Glinda, "shall' be to carry you to your forest. Then, having used up the powers of the Golden Cap, I ' shall give it to the King of the Monkeys, that he and his band may thereafter be free for evermore."
- (determination''): ''You shall go to the ball!
- (obligation''): ''Citizens shall provide proof of identity.
- Shall we go out later?
Usage notes
* Shall'' is about one fourth as common relative to ''will in North America as in the UK. Some in North America may consider it formal or even pompous. * In the past, will'' and ''shall'' have been used similarly as auxiliary verbs for the future tense. The simple future tense traditionally uses ''shall for the first person ("I" and "we"), and will for the second and third persons. *: I shall go. *: You will go. * An emphatic future tense, with a sense of (must), reverses the two words, using will'' for the first person and ''shall for the second and third person. *: I will go. *: You shall go. * Usage can be reversed in questions and in dependent clauses—especially with indirect discourse. For example: Shall''' you do it?'' is equivalent in meaning to '''''Will''' you do it?'' as it anticipates your response ''I '''shall''' do it.'' Or: ''he says that he '''shall''' win'' or ''he expects that he '''shall''' win'' report his saying ''I '''shall''' win'', not ''I '''will win.See also
* ought * shalt * shan't * should * will *Statistics
*may
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) , Icelandic mega, megum. See also might.Verb
- But many timeswe give way to passions we may resist and will not.
- O weary night, O long and tedious night, / Abate thy houres, shine comforts from the East, / That I may backe to Athens by day-light […].
- May' God bless and keep you always / '''May''' your wishes all come true / '''May''' you always do for others / And let others do for you / '''May''' you build a ladder to the stars / And climb on every rung / ' May you stay forever young
- How old may Phillis be, you ask.
Usage notes
* (term) is now a defective verb. It has no infinitive, no past participle, and no future tense. Forms of (to be allowed to) are used to replace these missing tenses. * The simple past (both indicative and subjunctive) of (may) is (might) * The present tense is negated as (may) (not), which can be contracted to (term, mayn't), although this is old-fashioned; the simple past is negated as (might) (not), which can be contracted to (term, mightn't). * (term) has archaic second-person singular present indicative forms (mayest) and (mayst). * Usage of this word in the sense of (possibly) is considered incorrect by some speakers and writers, as it blurs the meaning of the word in the sense have permission to . These speakers and writers prefer to use the word (might) instead. * Wishes are often cast in the imperative rather than the subjunctive mood, not using the word (may), as in Have a great day!'' rather than ''May you have a great day .Synonyms
* (have permission to) can, could, might * (possibly) could, might * (in subjunctive) mightDerived terms
* as the case may be * be it as it may, be that as it may, be this as it may * come what may * devil-may-care * if I may * I may not but * it may well with, may well with * let the chips fall where they may * may as well * maybe * may chance * may-fall * may-fortune * mayhap * mayhappen * may I? * may-issue * mayn't * may you live in interesting times * that is as may be, that's as may be * * what-you-may-call-itSee also
*Etymology 2
(etyl) mai, so called because it blossoms in (May).Derived terms
* *Verb
(en verb)- In valleys green and still / Where lovers wander maying