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2. MAY and MIGHT

We use may or might to:

  • make a suggestion or an assumption.

EXAMPLE: Everyone is looking for George. He may/might be in the toilet.

 

  • indicate that something is a possibility.

EXAMPLE: What we are told may/might be true.

 

  • possibly take the place of could.

EXAMPLE: That man over there looks like Mike. He could/may/might be Mike.

 

  • say about something that is possible to happen in the future.

EXAMPLE: We may visit them in Birmingham for the summer holidays.
EXAMPLE: They might go out later when the weather improves.
(For these two examples, we can also use might visit or may go.)

 

  • For something that happened in the past, we can use may have or might have.
EXAMPLE: She may have been asleep when the burglar entered the house.
EXAMPLE: The police think he might have seen the robbery and are looking for him.
  • We use ‘might’, and not ‘may’, for an unreal situation.
EXAMPLE: If I met her again, I might ask for her telephone number.
(It is quite unlikely that I meet her again, so I don’t get to ask for her telephone number. We do not use may here.)
  • We can use the continuing form with may/might.

EXAMPLE: I may/might be reading in the library this evening.

  • We can use be going with may/might.
EXAMPLE: We may/might be going to Australia next month. // We may/might go to
Australia next month. (These sentences do not change in meaning)

 


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