Modal Verbs May and Might

Modal Verbs May and Might

Hello English learners! In today’s lesson, we will learn how to use the modal verbs ‘may’ and ‘might’ in English.

Why do we need to know modal verbs? 

Modal verbs such as can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would are small words with big power. They allow us to express possibility, obligation, certainty, ability, and even politeness. Imagine trying to ask for permission without may or can, or giving advice without should! Modal verbs add shades of meaning to your sentences and make your English sound more natural and precise. They are also essential in exams like the Cambridge B2 First or C1 Advanced, where you need to show a wide range of grammar. In short, if you want to move from “basic communication” to confident, fluent English, modal verbs are tools you can’t do without.

Are modal verbs difficult to learn?

The short answer is: not really, but they can feel tricky at first. Modal verbs are actually simpler than many other verbs because they don’t change form (I can, you can, she can — no “-s” in the third person!) and they’re always followed by the base form of another verb (You must study, not You must studies). The challenge lies in the fact that one modal can have several different uses. For example, must can show obligation (You must wear a seatbelt) but also certainty (She must be tired). That’s why learners sometimes get confused. The good news is that, once you practise them in real-life examples and notice how native speakers use them, modal verbs quickly become second nature.

Modal Verbs May & Might

As you know, the form of modal verbs is always the same; we don’t conjugate them, and we don’t add suffixes to them.

• I might go to a party.
• He mights go to a party.

The verb following a modal verb is always a bare infinitive (infinitive without to).

• She may be right, so we’d better listen to her.
• The locals might be able to  show us the way.

We form negative sentences by adding ‘not’ directly to ‘may’ and ‘might’.

• You may not (mayn’t) believe it, but I swear it’s the truth.
• Going camping alone might not (mightn’t) be a very sensible thing to do.

We form questions by inverting the subject.

• May I ask for permission to speak?
• Might it be possible to live forever someday?

When do we use the modal verbs ‘may’ & ‘might’

May and might are modal verbs we often use interchangeably. We use them to:

• express possibility in the present or future, 
• grant permission, 
• make polite requests, 
• express a wish.

May & might for expressing the possibility

When expressing possibility with ‘may’ and ‘might’, we make assumptions, and ‘may’ and ‘might’ here mean probably or perhaps. 

• “Have you seen my car keys?” “They may be in your jacket”.
• Now that Tom’s got a decent job, we might go on holiday to Thailand.
• We should ask her because she might be better informed.
• I may study chemistry, but I haven’t decided yet.

‘May’ & ‘might’ for permission

We can use ‘may’ and ‘might’ to ask for or grant permission.

• “May I go out?” “You may not unless you’ve done your homework.”
• You may take whichever you like, I don’t care.
• Might I borrow your phone when you’ve finished, please?

Making polite requests with ‘may’ & ‘might’

We can also use may and might to make polite requests. May is more polite than can, and might is even more polite and formal than may.

• May I speak to the manager, please? (very formal)
• May I know when the plane is landing?
• Might I ask for your age, madam?

Expressing wishes with ‘may’

We can express a wish with may. Look at these example sentences.

• May you live a long and prosperous life!
• Happy birthday Oliver! May all your wishes come true!
• May the force be with you!

‘Might’ for reporting ‘may’

We usually use ‘might’ as a past form of ‘may’ in indirect speech.

• “Our cat is sick. It may die.” “She said that their cat might die.”
• “May I leave now?” “She asked if she might leave.”

‘May’ and ‘might’ in the past

We use ‘may’ and ‘might’ to speculate about past actions. In these sentences, we use the structure may/might + have + past participle.

• “I can’t find my wallet? “You may have left it on the counter in the supermarket.”
• We might have been late for the wedding because Mike forgot his camera so we had to go back home.

May be and maybe

Don’t confuse may be and maybe. May be refers to the possibility of something to happen while maybe means perhaps. Besides, may be is a verb while maybe is an adverb. 

Look at the example sentences:

• The house looks beautiful but it may be (might be) quite expensive. (it is possible that it is expensive))
• Maybe we’ll buy that house. (perhaps we’ll buy it) 

May as well & might as well

Use these expressions to make suggestions, especially if you want to say your opinion about what is an easy and reasonable thing to do.

• You may as well wish to travel by train because long bus journeys can be rather exhausting.
• We might as well eat before we leave. You don’t want to get hungry in the middle of the performance, do you?

Proverbs and sayings with may & might

Many are proverbs as sayings with ‘may’ and ‘might’, let me mention a few:

• Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today
• The wolf may lose his teeth, but never his nature
• A fool may throw a stone into a well that a hundred wise men cannot pull out
• He that has a tongue in his head may find his way anywhere
• If wishes were horses, beggars might ride
• A ragged coat might cover an honest man
• He that falls today might be up again tomorrow

 

 

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