Osee  +  477613 Sat, 16 Feb 08 05:25 PM But Yahoo may not be able to avoid a buyout by Microsoft. I think the phrase may not be able to simply equals can not or cannot. Do you think so? Osee Joined on Mon, Jan 8 2007 Canada Regular Member 922 Truths are hard to prove, rumors are easy to make.

	Doll  +  477628 Sat, 16 Feb 08 06:16 PM My take,  If you say cannot, I understand it something which is certain. "May" adds a meaning of probability here which softens the circumstances. Doll Joined on Sat, Mar 10 2007 Senior Member 2,811

	Grammar Geek  +  477678 Sat, 16 Feb 08 09:53 PM No, Osee - you're taking away all of the uncertainty. May not be able to = may be unable to = it may happened, whether Yahoo want to or not, but it's not certain. Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,660 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!