diff --git a/Objects/abstract.c b/Objects/abstract.c
index 1132b842ca1..7b1f1968911 100644
--- a/Objects/abstract.c
+++ b/Objects/abstract.c
@@ -2233,7 +2233,7 @@ PyObject_Call(PyObject *callable, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
     PyObject *result;
 
     /* PyObject_Call() must not be called with an exception set,
-       because it may clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
+       because it can clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
        caller loses its exception */
     assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
     assert(PyTuple_Check(args));
@@ -2309,7 +2309,7 @@ _PyObject_FastCallDict(PyObject *callable, PyObject **args, Py_ssize_t nargs,
     PyObject *result = NULL;
 
     /* _PyObject_FastCallDict() must not be called with an exception set,
-       because it may clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
+       because it can clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
        caller loses its exception */
     assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
 
diff --git a/Objects/methodobject.c b/Objects/methodobject.c
index 5331cfb3199..ebea8b3d503 100644
--- a/Objects/methodobject.c
+++ b/Objects/methodobject.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ _PyMethodDef_RawFastCallDict(PyMethodDef *method, PyObject *self, PyObject **arg
     int flags;
 
     /* _PyMethodDef_RawFastCallDict() must not be called with an exception set,
-       because it may clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
+       because it can clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
        caller loses its exception */
     assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
 
diff --git a/Objects/object.c b/Objects/object.c
index dc50131e3fd..7b80bcb91da 100644
--- a/Objects/object.c
+++ b/Objects/object.c
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ PyObject_Repr(PyObject *v)
 
 #ifdef Py_DEBUG
     /* PyObject_Repr() must not be called with an exception set,
-       because it may clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
+       because it can clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
        caller loses its exception */
     assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
 #endif
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ PyObject_Str(PyObject *v)
 
 #ifdef Py_DEBUG
     /* PyObject_Str() must not be called with an exception set,
-       because it may clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
+       because it can clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
        caller loses its exception */
     assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
 #endif
diff --git a/Objects/typeobject.c b/Objects/typeobject.c
index a5211772103..0fdff318b82 100644
--- a/Objects/typeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/typeobject.c
@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ type_call(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 
 #ifdef Py_DEBUG
     /* type_call() must not be called with an exception set,
-       because it may clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
+       because it can clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
        caller loses its exception */
     assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
 #endif
diff --git a/Python/ceval.c b/Python/ceval.c
index 1b8cdfc663a..87384709c91 100644
--- a/Python/ceval.c
+++ b/Python/ceval.c
@@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault(PyFrameObject *f, int throwflag)
 
 #ifdef Py_DEBUG
     /* PyEval_EvalFrameEx() must not be called with an exception set,
-       because it may clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
+       because it can clear it (directly or indirectly) and so the
        caller loses its exception */
     assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
 #endif
@@ -3244,7 +3244,7 @@ _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault(PyFrameObject *f, int throwflag)
             if (meth_found) {
                 /* We can bypass temporary bound method object.
                    meth is unbound method and obj is self.
-                  
+
                    meth | self | arg1 | ... | argN
                  */
                 SET_TOP(meth);