English Mastery
Module 3 · Modal Verbs

May & Might

Intermediate45 min25 questions7 sections
Step 1

Quick Look

MAY and MIGHT run two departments: formal permission (may only) and possibility (both, at different confidence levels). May suggests a real chance; might steps the confidence down a notch. This chapter also settles a spelling war that fills Indian WhatsApp groups: MAY BE (two words, verb) vs. MAYBE (one word, adverb).
Sentence TypeStructure + Example
Formal permission
May I address the committee? / Members may use the club till 10 p.m.
Possibility
The rates may correct in Q3. (decent chance) / He might join us later. (smaller chance)
Wishes & blessings
May God bless you. / May the new venture prosper!

The golden rule: MAY BE (two words) = modal + verb, meaning ‘is possibly’ — He may be at the site. MAYBE (one word) = ‘perhaps’, and sits at the front of the sentence — Maybe he is at the site. If you can replace it with ‘perhaps’, write one word; if a subject sits before it, write two.

May be or maybe?
TWO WORDSONE WORDmay+bemodal + verb = ‘is possibly’a subject sits before itHe may be at the site.maybeadverb = ‘perhaps’you can swap in ‘perhaps’Maybe he is at the site.orMaybe he at the site.‘maybe’ cannot replace the verb ‘be’He may be at the site.
If you can replace it with ‘perhaps’, write one word. If a subject sits before it, write two.
Step 2

When to Use It

May I …?formalofficial · respectful · writtenCan I …?= casual
Use 1

Formal permission — MAY

Official, respectful, written. (Can does the casual version.)
  • May I have five minutes of your time, sir?
  • Residents may book the community hall through the app.
  • You may leave once the documents are attested.
mayI half expect itmightdon’t count on it
Use 2

Possibility — MAY (likely) vs. MIGHT (less likely)

Both guess about the present or future; might lowers the confidence.
  • The bank may release the funds by Friday. (I half expect it)
  • The bank might release the funds by Friday. (don’t count on it)
  • She might not come at all — her flight looked doubtful.
You should reconsider.directsofterYou might want to reconsider.
Use 3

MIGHT in polite suggestions and hedged statements

Might softens claims — boardroom English.
  • You might want to reconsider the pricing.
  • It might be worth getting a second valuation.
  • This might sound odd, but the smaller unit is the better investment.
May+subject+verb May your new office bring prosperity!a fixed ceremonial pattern – May comes first
Use 4

Wishes and blessings — MAY + subject + verb

A fixed ceremonial pattern.
  • May your new office bring prosperity!
  • May the best bidder win.
  • May you both have a long and happy life.
“I may invest.”his wordsmaymightHe said he might invest.
Use 5

MIGHT as the past of MAY (reported speech)

After a past reporting verb, may shifts to might.
  • He said he might invest in the second phase. (his words: ‘I may invest’)
  • The lawyer warned that the case might drag on.
May and might: who does what
ONLY MAYSHARED BY BOTHONLY MIGHT FORMAL PERMISSIONMay I address the committee?official, respectfulWISHES & BLESSINGSMay God bless you.May comes firstPOLITE SUGGESTIONSYou might want to reconsider.softens the claim PAST OF ‘MAY’He said he might invest.reported speech POSSIBILITYmaydecent chance – I half expect itmightsmaller chance – don’t count on it
Possibility is shared (might = less sure). Formal permission and wishes belong to may alone.
Step 3

Hindi Concept Note

अHindi Concept Noteहिंदी में समझिए
MAY/MIGHT = ‘शायद’ — मुमकिन है, पक्का नहीं।
शायद बारिश हो। It may rain. ठीक-ठाक chance। It might rain. chance और कम।
इज़ाज़त के लिए may formal है: क्या मैं अंदर आ सकता हूँ? (officer से)
May I come in, sir?
आशीर्वाद वाला pattern अलग से याद रखो: भगवान तुम्हें ख़ुश रखे।
May God keep you happy. (May हमेशा सबसे आगे)
और spelling की जंग: ‘may be’ दो शब्द = हो सकता है (He may be busy — वह busy हो सकता है)। ‘maybe’ एक शब्द = शायद (Maybe he is busy — शायद वह busy है)। जहाँ ‘शायद’ से वाक्य शुरू हो, वहाँ एक शब्द।
Step 4

Common Mistakes Hindi Speakers Make

Wrong
Right
Why
Maybe he at the meeting right now.
He may be at the meeting right now. / Maybe he is at the meeting.
One word ‘maybe’ is an adverb — it cannot replace the verb. Two- word ‘may be’ contains the verb.
He may comes tomorrow.
He may come tomorrow.
Base verb after may — the frozen rule never sleeps.
Might I to see the papers?
Might I see the papers?
No ‘to’ after might.
May you please send the report? (request)
Could/Would you please send the report?
May asks permission for MYSELF (May I...). Requests to others take could/would.
God may bless you! (blessing intended)
May God bless you!
In wishes, may moves to the front — fixed word order.
He said he may sell the shop. (reported last month)
He said he might sell the shop.
May shifts to might after a past reporting verb.
Step 5

Signal Words

May/might signals:
shayad + decent chance may; shayad + slim chance might
Formal/official permission may (casual can)
Blessings and wishes May + subject + base verb (front position)
Softening advice you might want to..., it might be worth...
Replace with ‘perhaps’? one word maybe. Subject before it? two words may be.
Step 6

Practice

Set A

Fill in the blanks

0 / 10
  1. 1
    I (may/borrow) your pen for the register, madam?
  2. 2
    The circle rates (may/rise) after the budget — analysts half expect it.
  3. 3
    He (might/not/attend) the AGM; he’s travelling that week.
  4. 4
    (may) your new showroom flourish!
  5. 5
    She said she (may?) shift to Pune next year. (reported)
  6. 6
    You (might/want) to check the seepage report before finalising.
  7. 7
    Guests (may/use) the visitor parking on the lower level.
  8. 8
    It (may/be) a network issue — try the landline. (two words or one?)
  9. 9
    he is stuck in traffic. That’s why he’s not picking up. (two words or one?)
  10. 10
    The builder warned that possession (might/get) delayed by a quarter.
Set B

Correct the mistake

0 / 8
  1. 11
    May be he is at the gym.
  2. 12
    Maybe the file with the accountant. (fix the verb)
  3. 13
    She may visits her parents this weekend.
  4. 14
    May you carry my bag? (request to someone)
  5. 15
    God may give you success!
  6. 16
    He told me he may join us. (reported — said last week)
  7. 17
    Might I to suggest an alternative?
  8. 18
    It mights rain tonight.
Set C

Translate into English

0 / 7
  1. 19
    शायद वह कल आए।
  2. 20
    क्या मैं एक सवाल पूछ सकता हूँ, sir? (formal)
  3. 21
    शायद वह घर पर हो। (दोनों तरीक़ों से लिखो)
  4. 22
    भगवान आपको लंबी उम्र दे!
  5. 23
    बारिश हो सकती है — छाता ले लो।
  6. 24
    उसने कहा था कि वह शायद देर से आए।
  7. 25
    आप चाहें तो दूसरा unit भी देख सकते हैं। (soft suggestion)
Step 7

Answer Key

Show answersHide answers
Answers · Set A
1
May I borrow
2
may rise
3
might not attend
4
May
5
might
6
might want
7
may use
8
may be (two words)
9
Maybe (one word)
10
might get
Answers · Set B
11
Maybe he is at the gym. (Sentence-front ‘perhaps’ one word.)
12
Maybe the file is with the accountant. / The file may be with the accountant. (A verb is compulsory.)
13
She may visit her parents this weekend. (Base verb.)
14
Could/Would you carry my bag? (Requests to others don’t take may.)
15
May God give you success! (May leads the blessing.)
16
He told me he might join us. (May might after told.)
17
Might I suggest an alternative? (No ‘to’.)
18
It might rain tonight. (Modals never take -s.)
Answers · Set C
19
He may come tomorrow. / She might come tomorrow.
20
May I ask a question, sir?
21
He may be at home. / Maybe he is at home.
22
May God give you a long life!
23
It may rain — take an umbrella. / It might rain, so carry an umbrella.
24
He said (that) he might come late.
25
You might want to see the other unit as well. / You may also like to look at another unit.

Finished this chapter?

Mark it complete to light it up on your progress map. You can always come back to the practice.

Next up · Chapter 4Must & Have To

Obligation, prohibition, and the trap that changes meanings completely: mustn’t is NOT the same as don’t have to.