 Re: Response to a question - 'may i' and 'shall i'
Okay, let's try to keep this short (or - let's try and keep this short - in speech..) "May I?" is asking for permission (generally speaking). "Shall I?" is asking the other person's opinion. Look at these two examples. (Don't pick up on my punctuation - I'm in Italy using an Italian keyboard layout with a British windows operating system...)
May I open the window? (This asks for permission - similar to "Do you mind if I open the window? I'm hot...)
Shall I open the window? (This is asking whether the other person wants the window to be opened. Maybe you have realised, or think, they (yes, THEY singular..) are hot).
Hope it's clear....
Dave |