(May, Might)

Understanding  May and Might

• May: This one is all about permission or a good chance that something will happen. It's like saying this is allowed or there's a fair chance.
• Might: Use this when you're being more tentative or polite about asking for something. It's also for when you think something could happen, but you're not too sure.

Examples in Everyday Use

• May (Permission): Can I borrow your book? (Giving the okay to borrow a book.)
• May (Possibility): There's a chance it'll rain later. (Suggesting rain is quite likely.)
• Might (Polite Permission): Could I use your phone, please? (Asking politely to use a phone.)
• Might (Less Certain Possibility): She could be late, I guess. (Saying it's possible she'll be late, but not certain.)

In Conversations

• Asking to Do Something: Can I come in? 🚪
• Saying It's Okay: Sure, take a little break. ☕
• Guessing What Could Happen: Maybe it'll snow tomorrow. ❄️
• Making Polite Requests: Could I talk to you for a sec? ⌛

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• With May for Possibility:
  • ✅ Correct: It may rain tomorrow, according to the forecast. 🌧️
  • ❌ Incorrect: It might rain tomorrow, according to the forecast. (While might is not wrong, may is used here to indicate a higher likelihood based on specific information.)
• With May for Present General Permission:
  • ✅ Correct: You may start eating. 🍽️
  • ❌ Incorrect: You might start eating. (May is more appropriate for giving direct permission.)
• With Might for Speculating About the Present:
  • ✅ Correct: He might be working late tonight. ⏰
  • ❌ Incorrect: He may be working late tonight. (Using might suggests a lower degree of certainty.)
• With Might in Past Conditional Sentences:
  • ✅ Correct: If it hadn't rained, we might have gone to the beach. 🏖️
  • ❌ Incorrect: If it hadn't rained, we may have gone to the beach. (Might is more commonly used in past conditional sentences to express possibilities that didn't happen.)