what is the difference?

Question

what is the different between can/may sit/set lie/lay teach/learn this is just homework help please i really need to know the difference anything to help someone like me who is in desperate need of help.

Answer 1

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAN AND MAY
We use "can" to indicate capability or possibility, e.g. "I don't know if I can lift this piano by myself." The implication here is on whether you have the physical capacity or mental acuity to get the piano lifted. "May" is used when you are asking permission, "May I lift your piano for a little exercise?" Here you wish the permission of someone to carry out an action.


What is the difference between sit/set and lie/lay?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These two pairs of words operate on the same rule, a rule that has to do with transitivity. Transitivity is a property of verbs that allows them to take direct object, a second noun directly after the verb without an intervening preposition. In the sentence, "Frank bit the dog," "Frank" is the Subject (doer) of the sentence. "Dog" is the object ('doee'), the object to which something is done. "Bite" is a transitive verb in that it allows a direct object (the bitten dog above). Other verbs, like "sleep," do not allow direct objects. You can't say "Frank slept a dog." You can say "Frank slept all night" but "all night" is not the object to which something is done but an adverbial phrase telling us how long the action of the verb lasted.
That brings us to sit/sat and lie/lay. "Sit (sat, sat)" and "lie (lay, lain)" are intransitive verbs. You can sit down, sit up (movement involved), or sit in a chair (no movement) but you can't sit Frank-or anything else. You can, however, set a plate on a table or seat Frank in a chair-but not sit him. "Set (set, set)" is a transitive verb; "sit" is intransitive. This same distinction separates "lie" from "lay (laid, laid)." You can lie on a rug but you cannot lie a rug. You can, however lay a rug anywhere you please or lay down your troubles with lie/lay if you understand this brief note. The confusion here arises from the fact that the past tense of "lie" is also "lay." Don't let that confuse you.

hope this was not too confusing. hope this helped u understand the difference.

Answer 2

Can - Capable
May - Permission

Sit - It's what you do when you sit in a chair.
Set - It's what you do when you place something somewhere like setting the table, you are placing the dishes on the table.

Lie - It's what you do when you lie down to go to bed.
Lay - Similar to set. Used more for inanimate objects. A piece of paper lays on the table.

Teach - Disseminating information or giving out information.
Learn - Taking in the information.

A teacher teaches and a student learns.

Answer 3

can- asking if you are ABLE to do something
may- asking if you are allowed to do something

sit-such as sitting down in a chair
set-to put something down