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May Vs Might
May Vs Might
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“Might” and “may” discuss the possibility of something happening in a situation. However, how
they are used in a sentence can vary. One clear way to know which one to use is by looking at
the tense of the sentence. “Might” is the past tense of “may.” When deciding which one to use,
you can use the sentence tense to decide on “might” or “may.”
Since all these sentences are in past perfect tense, “might” was the choice to make. Notice how
they all had the word “have” as well, as in “might have”? That’s a good indication of the past
perfect tense.
The clear winner is easy when it comes to tense. Now, you can look at gauging probability with
“may” and “might.” This choice isn’t as clear, but there is a simple way to remember which to
choose.
Defining Probability With “Might” and “May”
Do you know how probable it is that you are going to go to that football game? What is the
probability of you scoring an “A” on your test? Determining whether something is very likely or
remotely likely is the difference between choosing “may” or “might” for your sentence.
Sound confusing? Examples can work to really clear this up for you.
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When you use “may,” it means something is probably going to happen. So, you will probably go
somewhere or probably get something. It has a high likelihood of happening, like:
In these examples, the probability of something happening is pretty high. There is still a little
question or doubt about whether or not it will happen, but it is very possible.
When you use “might,” it is less likely to happen. So, to keep it simple, you will probably not go
somewhere or probably not get something. It has a very low likelihood of happening, like:
Here, you can see the probability of something happening is really low. It could happen, but it’s
not likely.
When it comes to asking for permission, “may” and “might” are a couple of your go-to words.
They’re right up there with “can.” These words can be used interchangeably to ask for
permission, especially in less formal situations. However, you’ll notice that “may” sounds more
polite.
There is one area that gets a little muddy when it comes to “may” or “might” for permissions.
That is when you use a negative hypothetical situation.
For example, “She may not go to the party.” In this sentence, it sounds like she doesn’t
have permission to go to the party. If you are trying to clarify probability, you will always use
“might” instead: “She might not go to the party.” Compare the two sentences to see the
difference.
When it comes to the English language, using the right word can avoid confusion and provide
clarity. “May” and “might” may seem simple enough, but the two have some very subtle
differences. Now that you’ve now been introduced to “might” and “may,” it might be a good
idea to check out other auxiliary verbs. You may even find it exciting!