I’ve seen a lot of confusion regarding the use of “can be acceptable” versus “is acceptable” or “can be accepted.” I find this surprising since the differences are simple.

Here’s an example involving service at a restaurant:

It can be acceptable to not leave a tip in a restaurant if the service is poor.

This has a slightly different meaning than this:

It is acceptable to not leave a tip in a restaurant if the service is poor.

• The former means there are mitigating circumstances involved and that this may not always be the case. It also implies that it is not ideal.

• The latter means it’s always OK, which may not be the case.

Another variation I’ve seen is this:

It can be accepted to not leave a tip in a restaurant if the service is poor.

• This changes the meaning and is very awkward.

Of the three choices, “can be acceptable” is perfectly fine and the preferred choice.

Here’s another example:

It can be acceptable to climb on the roof without a safety net in an emergency.

• The fact that it’s an emergency is the mitigating circumstance that makes it OK. 

As always, when authoring a book, clarity is key and proper word choice is critical to ensure that your message is clear. 

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