MAY - MIGHT

Modal verbs May and Might

1. Use MAY or MIGHT to express possibility, suggestion, assumption or conclusion; when want to say that something is true or there is a possibility of something happening.

May and Might are modal verbs that can be used interchangeably without a difference in the meaning. 

When expressing possibility, MIGHT shows smaller chance of something happening than MAY.

Examples:

It’s so cloudy. It might rain later. We may have some rain today.

He may still be angry that he lost the game, but I won.

He might be late, because of the bad weather.

You might be right.

He may come to the party. He might even bring his girlfriend.

1. Use MAY or MIGHT to express an offer or advice

May I recommend you a vacation in Hawaii?

May I offer you something to drink?

You might want to reconsider your honeymoon destination.

You might want to try the specialty of the restaurant.

2. Use MAY or MIGHT to speculate about past action

When something could possibly have happened in the past, but we are not sure.

MAY/MIGHT + have + past participle

Your comment may have offended someone.

My mom is not here, she might have gone to the grocery.

3. Use MAY to give a permission

(MAY is more official than CAN)

You may have a glass of wine if you wish.

You may leave the room if you finished the exam.

You may take one piece of cake.

MAY NOT is used to NOT give permission or to prohibit someone from doing something

You may not sit here.

You may not park your car in front of the gate.

You may not take even one piece of cake.

4. Use MAY to ask for permission

(CAN is used more frequently for asking for permission than MAY in spoken English though MAY sounds more polite)

May we have some ice cream?

May I sit next to you?

May I borrow your book?

5. Use MAY to express wishes

May all your wishes come true.

May you both have a long and happy life together.

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Модални глаголи 😃 Modal verbs

CAN - COULD
MAY - MIGHT
WILL
WOULD
SHALL
SHOULD
MUST
DARE
OUGHT TO
HAD BETTER
NEED
BE ABLE TO