The modal verbs may, might in the general sense describe the theoretical probability of an event under certain conditions. These conditions may be the desire or unwillingness of one of the participants in the events, the possibility of committing from the point of view of laws, norms, rules, etiquette and other circumstances. As a rule, the statement takes the form of an assumption or assumption. Both verbs can express probability and resolution. In addition, they may indicate the evidence of some action as the most predictable under the current conditions. There are also areas in which it is permissible to put a specific verb. So, the modal verb may expresses permission. By permission is meant permissiveness, not permission or a request for permission. The verb might helps to make an assumption, for example, as a guess or one’s attitude towards the realization of an idea.
Moreover, may and might not only relate to some hypothetical situation in the future, but can also be used at any time (although the modal verb itself does not contain indications of time).
May, might vs. can, could
Such verbs in the English language, like can and could, are similar in meaning, but in most cases they express the individual ability of a character to perform certain actions. Often in the same sentence you can put both may, might, and can, could. In many situations, the use of may, might is due to the need for a more restrained tone. These verbs in English serve as indicators of formality. This is appropriate, for example, in a business conversation with partners and colleagues, when communicating with unfamiliar people or in delicate situations. In colloquial speech, more often you can still find can and could.
Probability
The verbs may, might say that we are not sure whether the execution of something is possible, but nevertheless we are inclined to believe that such a variant of the development of events is very probable, based on our personal motives, from external conditions, schedule, general patterns or habits. It can be noted that usually the outlook is not outweighed, but the predictive component. The verb could has a similar use, but is used for more informal communication.
- He might come.
- They may help us / They can help us.
- That could be one reason / That could be one reason.
In the preparation of the negation, the particle not refers in the sense to the subsequent part rather than to may or might.
- He might not be in England at all / He may not be in England at all.
- They might not get a house with central heating .
When you need to express that in the past, some kind of event probably happened, but you are not sure about it, you can use may have, might have, the next verb is put in the past participle form.
- You may have noticed this advertisement.
- He might not have seen me.
- They may not have done it.
Also, might have, with the subsequent participle of the past tense, can express that if a certain event took place, then an opportunity would also appear for some other event.
- She said it might have been all right, if the weather had been good. (But the weather wasn't good, so it wasn't all right.) / She said that everything could be alright if the weather was good. (But the weather was not good, so everything was out of order).
Permission
May / may not are used to say that someone is allowed / not allowed to perform certain actions.
- They may do exactly as they like. They can do exactly what they want.
- The retailer may not sell that book below the publisher's price / The seller cannot sell this book at a price lower than the publisher.
Resolution
In addition, through these verbs one can be allowed to do something.
- You may speak.
- You may leave as soon as you have finished.
Or ask for permission (although might is quite rare in modern language).
- May I have a cigarette? / Can I get a cigarette?
- Might I inquire if you are the owner? / May I ask - are you the owner?
Being modal, the verbs may, might always go first in the predicate, require a verb in the basic form, do not have -s, -ing and -ed forms, do not indicate the time of what is happening,
Since in one predicate there can be no more than one modal verb, the second modal verb is replaced with a similar meaning word, often it is a “semimodal” verb. Replacing might might, for example, to be likely to.
- Your husband might have to give up work / Your husband may need to give up work.
- He will be likely to come.
If you want to take the next verb not in the basic form, but in the -ing form, past participle or to-infinitive, you may not use the verbs may. You can put as a replacement, for example, be allowed to.
- I am strongly in favor of people being allowed to put on plays.
- They have going to be allowed to travel on the trains.
Assumption
To make a very polite, delicate, or cautious assumption, the might verb in English can be used together with like or want.
- I thought perhaps you might like to come along with me / I thought, maybe you want to walk with me?
- You might want to try another shop / Perhaps you want to try another store.
Or using It might be and a group of nouns, adjectives or to-infinitives.
- I think it might be a good idea to stop recording now / I think it might be a good idea to stop recording now.
- It might be wise to get a new car / Maybe you should take a new car.
Evidence
Turnovers such as may as well and might as well help to express assumptions for action based on rationality and justification, or for the common reason “why not.” It usually has a rational character, but also, depending on the situation, quite often acquires a skeptic or slightly mocking character. Similar in meaning expressions - "to be able, as an option, ...", "to be able to with the same success."
- You may as well open them all. You might as well open them all.
- He might as well take the car / He could, as an option, take a car.
Abbreviations
As in the case of many service words, to save time and paper when making negatives, the not particle can be reduced to n't using the apostrophe and added to the verb. However, for may and might, abbreviations are not as popular as, for example, for the conjugated verb be. Probably, this happened due to the specifics of the semantic load of the negative particle in arbitrary revolutions. If the essence of the proposal is the theoretical impossibility of an event, not automatically falls under stress, and accented particles are usually not used in a truncated form. Sometimes might not shortens to mightn't. The modal verb may not shortens to mayn't be extremely rare in modern language