May is pronounced / méi / and might , / máit / (yes, like your friend Mayte , but without the e ). Now that you know how to pronounce them, let’s see what and how they are used.
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What are they used for?
To indicate probability ( maybe … ). To see, in theory, may expresses a greater probability than might . But in practice, people use them interchangeably, with the same meaning. So, look, use the one you like the most and that’s it. 😉
How are they used?
Remember that they are modal verbs, and therefore do not change for the third person plural ( I may … , She may … ; I might … , She might … ). Also, the verb that follows them always goes without to .
Affirmative
Contrary to what happens with some modal verbs like would or will , might and may not contract.
| subject | + may / might | + verb sin to | + … |
| I | may | go | out tonight. |
| I | might | go | out tonight. |
| It may come out tonight. | |||
Negative
Nor do they contract in the negative way. We do not say mayn’t , but may not and, although there mightn’t exist , it is used very little. The most natural thing is to say might not .
| subject | + may / might | + not | + verb sin to | + … |
| She | may | not | go | to work today. |
| She | might | not | go | to work today. |
| She may not be going to work today. | ||||
Interrogative
May itself is often used a lot in interrogative structures, to ask for permission, as in May I call you later? ( Can I call you later? ). Instead, although there are interrogatives with might that are used to ask why the probability of something happening — for example: Might it be broken? ( Could it be broken? ) -, this is a very rare use.
The most common is that to ask about probability we use may and might with Do you think …? Observe:
| Do you think | + subject | + may / might | + verb sin to | + … |
| Do you think | she | may | eat over | tonight? |
| Do you think | she | might | eat over | tonight? |
