Modal Verbs may, might: meaning and use

Meaning:  possibility, often-future possibility, and permission

N.B. we can express the same meaning by ''perhaps" or "possibly"

E.g.    Where is James?         Why is he late?

•          I don't know, he may / might be ill

•          I don't know, perhaps he is ill

•          It may / might rain tomorrow but I hope it will be sunny.

•          May I use the telephone?

•        May we leave now, Miss Black? "no you may not, you haven't finished your work yet" ("may not" means there's no permission)

To express a past possibility you use may + have + past participle of the verb

•    Where is James? "I don't know Mr Bums. He may have missed the bus."

USE OF MAY / MIGHT

may

We can use 'may' to ask for permission. However this is rather formal and not used very often in modern spoken English

•          May I borrow your pen?

•          May we think about it?

•          May I go now?

We use 'may' to suggest something is possible

•          It may rain later today.

•          I may not have time to do it today.

•          Pete may come with us

might

We use 'might' to suggest a small possibility of something. Often we read that 'might' suggests a smaller possibility that 'may', there is in fact little difference and 'might is more usual than' may 'in spoken English

•          She might be at home by now but it's not sure at all.

•          It might rain this afternoon.

•          I might not have time to go to the shops for you.

For the past, we use 'might have'

•          He might have tried to call while I was out.

•          I might have dropped it in the street.

•          I might not go

Exercises:

Elementary

№1
Choose the correct option

№2
Fill each gap with a correct form

№3
Put the following words into the correct order

№4
Fill each gap with a correct form

№5
Match the phrases into the sentences

№6
Choose the correct option

№7
Choose the correct option

№8
Choose the correct option


№9
Choose the correct option


№10
Choose the correct option


Intermediate

№1
Choose the correct option


№2
Fill each gap with a correct form


№3
Fill each gap with a correct form


№4
Fill each gap with a correct form


№5
Put the following words into the correct order

№6
Choose the correct option


№7
Choose the correct option


№8
Click on the words in the correct order


№9
Choose the correct option


№10
Fill each gap with a correct form


Advanced

№1
Match a sentence with its purpose


№2
Match the following sentences

№3
Write sentences using "may" or "might"

№4
Fill each gap with a correct form


№5
Rewrite the following sentences

№6
Choose the correct option


№7
Choose the correct option


№8
Fill each gap with a correct form


№9
Fill each gap with a correct form


№10
Choose the correct option


Test
Key