Re: As an answer to "Can I use your phone?"

On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:49:24 -0700 (PDT), Masa <autosu@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

My textbook on English raises the next question:
When questioned "Can I use your phone?", which way of answering is
right? :
1) Yes, you can. 2) Yes, you could.

It concludes that 1) is right.


Then, my question is this.
If I answered " Yes, you could.", how do you feel, or how funny or
wrong do you feel
about that expression?

It's a smart-ass answer that matches with the difference between "can"
and "may". The person is not asking if he *can* use your phone
because that is a question of technical ability. He is asking if he
*may* use your phone.

1) is correct even if the question is not phrased correctly.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
.

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