May Might
Comprehensive notes, formulas, and practice questions for May Might.
May Might
Modal Verbs: May and Might
MAY — Permission and Possibility (More Certain)
1. Formal Permission
"May I come in?" (polite, formal — preferred in CBSE exams) "You may leave when you are done." (granting permission formally) "May I borrow your pen?" (polite request)
Note: "May I" is more formal than "Can I" for permission.
2. Possibility (More Likely ~50–70%)
"It may rain this afternoon." (fairly likely — darker clouds visible) "She may be at home — try calling." (reasonable possibility) "He may not come to the party." (possible he won't come)
MIGHT — Possibility (Less Certain)
1. Possibility (Less Likely ~20–40%)
"It might snow in Delhi this winter." (possible but less likely than usual) "She might know the answer." (uncertain — maybe she does, maybe not) "We might visit Ladakh if we get leave." (conditional possibility)
2. Past Possibility (Unreal)
"She might have won if she had tried harder." (she didn't try — so she didn't win) "He might have been there — I'm not sure." (uncertain about a past event)
3. Polite Suggestion (more tentative than "could")
"You might want to check your answer again." (very gentle suggestion) "We might try a different approach." (tentative suggestion)
May vs Might — Comparison
| Feature | May | Might |
|---|---|---|
| Certainty level | Higher (~60%) | Lower (~30%) |
| Formal permission | ✓ "May I…?" | Not used for permission |
| Present possibility | ✓ | ✓ (less certain) |
| Past possibility | "may have + pp" | "might have + pp" (more common) |
| Politeness | Formal | Even more tentative/polite |
May/Might vs Can/Could for Permission
| Expression | Formality | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Can I go? | Informal | Everyday speech |
| Could I go? | Polite | Slightly formal |
| May I go? | Formal | Exam, formal writing, respectful situations |
| Might I ask? | Very formal | Rare, very old-fashioned |
For CBSE exams: "May I" is the preferred formal request for permission.
Negatives
- May not: "She may not agree." (possibility she won't)
- Might not (mightn't): "He might not come." (uncertain)
- Note: "mayn't" is not used in modern English.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| "May you help me?" | May = asking FOR permission, not asking someone else. Use "Could you help?" |
| "She may runs fast." | may run (base form after modal) |
| "It might rains tomorrow." | might rain (no -s after modal) |
| Confusing may/might with can | "Can I borrow?" (ability/informal permission); "May I borrow?" (formal permission) |
Worked Examples
Choose may or might:
- "There's a dark cloud — it ___ rain soon." → may (more certain — evidence present)
- "I ___ come to the party, but I'm not sure yet." → might (uncertain)
- "___ I use your dictionary, please?" → May (formal permission)
- "She ___ have taken the wrong bus." → might (uncertain past)
- "This solution ___ work if we follow the steps exactly." → may (reasonable possibility)
Quick Check
- What is the difference between "It may rain" and "It might rain"?
- Correct: "May you please open the door?"
- Which is more formal for asking permission — "can I" or "may I"?
- Rewrite using might: "Perhaps she knows the answer."
- Stretch: Write 3 sentences each using may and might, covering permission, present possibility, and past possibility.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- MAY — Permission and Possibility (More Certain)
- MIGHT — Possibility (Less Certain)
- May vs Might — Comparison
- May/Might vs Can/Could for Permission
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