Answer: May v might
When to use 'may' and when to use 'might' seems to confuse a lot of people. With a little help from our friends in The Sentinel -
'May' and 'might' are modal verbs; that is, they don't have participle or infinitive forms, and are used to express possibilities.
'May' is normally used for present and future tense, 'might' is used for past tense.
Ah, if it were as simple as that!
The word 'may' comes from Middle English, meaning to be able, from the Old English mæg. It's the first and third person of magan, to be strong, be able.
It can mean 'be allowed to do something' -
"Please may I leave the table?" Jim asked when he finished eating, all the time thinking that at ten years old he was surely old enough not to need permission!
It can denote the possibility that something is going to happen -
"It may rain this afternoon," William told his sons, "so make sure you take your coats."
It can provide a connecting link that concedes the possible truth of an earlier statement -
"Jimmy's dad won't let him go with us."
"Be that as it may, it's only polite to invite him."
There is also an indication of a future, continuing condition when 'may' is used.
"You drowned," the doctor told Blair. "That may lead to your having respiratory problems in the future."
At one time, 'can' was often used by children as a synonym for 'may', resulting in the annoying answer from the teacher -
"Please can I leave the room?" (UK-speak for 'go to the toilet')
"I know you can go, but you haven't asked if you may go."
However, this preference for using 'may' rather than 'can' seems to have fallen out of general use in the last few years.
The past tense word 'might' also comes from Middle English, deriving from Old English meahte, mihte, past tense of 'magan'.
However, a lot of people use 'may' (incorrectly) instead of 'might' when they are writing in past tense, e.g.
"You may have been here on time if you'd taken the bus instead of using that pile of junk on wheels that you call a car," Jim growled as Blair rushed in, babbling excuses for being half an hour late.
This should be "You might have been here on time" since this sentence is neither present nor future tense, and Jim is stating a fact, not a possible continuing condition. Though come to think of it, Blair's 'pile of junk on wheels' was a continuing condition...
However, while 'might' is basically past tense, a lot of the time it can be used instead of 'may' There's a subtle difference in how positive a statement is -
"I'm tired. I may ask Joel to take over from me," Simon said.
is a slightly more positive statement than -
"I'm tired. I might ask Joel to take over from me," Simon said.
which implies a degree of uncertainty - Simon clearly doesn't want to give in to his tiredness.
'Might' is also used if the speaker is trying to be polite.
"Might I speak to you for a minute?" Blair asked his adviser.
It can also be used in a situation when there is no good reason for not doing something -
"You might get some sympathy, even some help, if you'd only agree to let the other detectives know about your senses," Simon growled.
Because 'may' can only be used for present and future, but not past, it stands a fair chance of being used incorrectly, especially since most stories are told in past tense. 'Might', on the other hand, can be used for present or future tense as well as past. If in doubt, it might be wiser to stick with 'might', which is almost always grammatically right.
Sources -
May and might (Wikipedia)
might (Free Dictionary) and
may (Free Dictionary)
'May' and 'might' are modal verbs; that is, they don't have participle or infinitive forms, and are used to express possibilities.
'May' is normally used for present and future tense, 'might' is used for past tense.
Ah, if it were as simple as that!
The word 'may' comes from Middle English, meaning to be able, from the Old English mæg. It's the first and third person of magan, to be strong, be able.
It can mean 'be allowed to do something' -
"Please may I leave the table?" Jim asked when he finished eating, all the time thinking that at ten years old he was surely old enough not to need permission!
It can denote the possibility that something is going to happen -
"It may rain this afternoon," William told his sons, "so make sure you take your coats."
It can provide a connecting link that concedes the possible truth of an earlier statement -
"Jimmy's dad won't let him go with us."
"Be that as it may, it's only polite to invite him."
There is also an indication of a future, continuing condition when 'may' is used.
"You drowned," the doctor told Blair. "That may lead to your having respiratory problems in the future."
At one time, 'can' was often used by children as a synonym for 'may', resulting in the annoying answer from the teacher -
"Please can I leave the room?" (UK-speak for 'go to the toilet')
"I know you can go, but you haven't asked if you may go."
However, this preference for using 'may' rather than 'can' seems to have fallen out of general use in the last few years.
The past tense word 'might' also comes from Middle English, deriving from Old English meahte, mihte, past tense of 'magan'.
However, a lot of people use 'may' (incorrectly) instead of 'might' when they are writing in past tense, e.g.
"You may have been here on time if you'd taken the bus instead of using that pile of junk on wheels that you call a car," Jim growled as Blair rushed in, babbling excuses for being half an hour late.
This should be "You might have been here on time" since this sentence is neither present nor future tense, and Jim is stating a fact, not a possible continuing condition. Though come to think of it, Blair's 'pile of junk on wheels' was a continuing condition...
However, while 'might' is basically past tense, a lot of the time it can be used instead of 'may' There's a subtle difference in how positive a statement is -
"I'm tired. I may ask Joel to take over from me," Simon said.
is a slightly more positive statement than -
"I'm tired. I might ask Joel to take over from me," Simon said.
which implies a degree of uncertainty - Simon clearly doesn't want to give in to his tiredness.
'Might' is also used if the speaker is trying to be polite.
"Might I speak to you for a minute?" Blair asked his adviser.
It can also be used in a situation when there is no good reason for not doing something -
"You might get some sympathy, even some help, if you'd only agree to let the other detectives know about your senses," Simon growled.
Because 'may' can only be used for present and future, but not past, it stands a fair chance of being used incorrectly, especially since most stories are told in past tense. 'Might', on the other hand, can be used for present or future tense as well as past. If in doubt, it might be wiser to stick with 'might', which is almost always grammatically right.
Sources -
May and might (Wikipedia)
might (Free Dictionary) and
may (Free Dictionary)