What Are May and Might?
May and might are two of the most frequently used modal verbs in the English language. They are used to express possibility, to ask for and give permission, and to make polite requests. Although many learners treat them as identical twins, they carry subtle but important differences in meaning, formality, and probability that every serious student of English should understand.
May is the more formal of the two. It is used to talk about something that is possible in the present or future, and it is the traditional choice for asking or granting permission in formal contexts. Might is slightly less formal and generally suggests a lower degree of probability than may. Think of may as roughly a 50% chance and might as roughly a 30% chance — the difference is small but meaningful.
Both may and might are modal verbs, which means they follow the same basic grammar rules as other modals: they are followed by the base form of the verb (without "to"), they do not change for third-person singular (no "mays" or "mights"), and they do not use "do" or "does" in questions or negatives.
May = possibility (higher chance) + formal permission.
Might = possibility (lower chance) + less formal or hypothetical situations.
Both are followed by the base form of the verb: may go, might rain, may be, might have.
When Do We Use May and Might?
May and might are used in several important situations. The table below shows each usage with clear examples so you can see exactly when to choose each one.
| Usage | May | Might |
|---|---|---|
| Present possibility Something is possibly true right now |
She may be at the library. (It is quite possible.) | She might be at the library. (It is possible but less likely.) |
| Future possibility Something could happen in the future |
It may rain this afternoon. | It might rain this afternoon. |
| Formal permission Asking or giving permission politely |
May I sit here? — Yes, you may. | (Not commonly used for permission) |
| Polite suggestions Making a gentle suggestion |
You may want to check your spelling before submitting. | You might want to bring an umbrella today. |
| Hypothetical situations Imaginary or unlikely scenarios |
(Less common in hypothetical contexts) | If I had more time, I might learn Italian. |
| Concession Admitting something is true before making a contrast |
He may be talented, but he does not work hard enough. | She might be young, but she is incredibly mature. |
For permission, always use may, not might. "May I leave early?" is correct and polite. "Might I leave early?" sounds extremely old-fashioned and is almost never used in modern English. In everyday speech, most people use "Can I...?" for permission, but "May I...?" remains the most formally correct option.
Affirmative Sentences
Forming affirmative sentences with may and might is straightforward. The modal verb is placed after the subject and is always followed by the base form of the main verb. There is no change for person or number.
Subject + may/might + base verb
The main verb never changes. There is no "to" between the modal and the verb. May and might stay the same for all subjects: I may, she may, they may, we might, he might.
| Subject | May + Verb | Might + Verb |
|---|---|---|
| I | I may travel to Rome next month. | I might travel to Rome next month. |
| You | You may find this book interesting. | You might find this book interesting. |
| He / She / It | She may arrive late because of the traffic. | He might change his mind about the job. |
| We | We may go to the cinema tonight. | We might go to the cinema tonight. |
| They | They may sell their house next year. | They might move to a different city. |
Modal verbs never take an "s" ending, even with he, she, or it.
✘ She mays come to the party.
✘ He mights be late.
✔ She may come to the party.
✔ He might be late.
Negative Sentences
To make a negative sentence, simply add not after may or might. The meaning changes to express the possibility that something will not happen or is not true.
Subject + may not / might not + base verb
May not is not usually contracted. Might not can be contracted to mightn't in British English, but this is quite rare in modern usage. Most speakers say "might not" in full.
| Subject | May Not | Might Not |
|---|---|---|
| I | I may not have time to finish the report today. | I might not have time to finish the report today. |
| You | You may not agree with my decision. | You might not like the new design. |
| He / She | She may not come to the wedding. | He might not remember your name. |
| We | We may not be able to afford the trip. | We might not get tickets for the concert. |
| They | They may not accept our proposal. | They might not arrive before dinner. |
Do not confuse may not (it is possible that something will not happen) with must not (it is forbidden / prohibited).
She may not come to the party. = Perhaps she will not come. It is uncertain.
You must not park here. = Parking is forbidden. It is a rule.
These two have completely different meanings!
Questions with May and Might
Questions with may are very common, especially for asking permission. Questions with might are much less common and sound very formal or old-fashioned. In modern English, might is rarely used to begin a question.
May + subject + base verb?
This is the classic formal way to ask for permission in English. It is considered more polite than "Can I...?"
| Question | Typical Answer | Context |
|---|---|---|
| May I use your phone? | Yes, of course you may. | Asking permission (formal) |
| May I open the window? | Yes, please do. | Polite request |
| May I ask you a question? | Sure, go ahead. | Formal conversation |
| May we sit at this table? | I am sorry, this table is reserved. | Restaurant / public place |
| May I leave the classroom early? | No, you may not. The lesson is not finished. | School / formal setting |
| May I have a glass of water, please? | Of course. Here you are. | Polite request |
In theory, you can say "Might I borrow your pen?" but this sounds extremely formal and old-fashioned. In modern English, use "May I...?" for formal permission and "Can I...?" or "Could I...?" for informal or semi-formal situations. Reserve might for statements, not questions.
Special Rules and Important Notes
May and might have several special uses and grammatical features that set them apart from other modal verbs. Understanding these rules will help you avoid common errors and use these modals with confidence.
| Rule | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| May/might + be + -ing | Used to say something is possibly happening right now or in the future | She may be sleeping right now. Do not call her. |
| May/might + have + past participle | Used to speculate about the past — something possibly happened | He might have missed the train. That is why he is late. |
| May in formal writing | Used in legal, academic, and official texts to state what is allowed | Passengers may carry one piece of hand luggage. |
| Might in conditional sentences | Might is used in the result clause of Type 2 conditionals | If I won the lottery, I might buy a house in Paris. |
| May as well / might as well | Used to suggest doing something because there is no better alternative | We might as well walk. The bus is not coming. |
| No past form of may for possibility | To talk about past possibility, use "may/might + have + past participle," not "mayed" | She may have forgotten about the meeting. |
Maybe (one word) is an adverb that means "perhaps." It usually comes at the beginning of a sentence.
May be (two words) is the modal verb "may" + "be." It comes after a subject.
✔ Maybe she is right. = Perhaps she is right.
✔ She may be right. = It is possible that she is right.
✘ Maybe she right. (missing verb)
✘ She maybe right. (wrong form — should be "may be")
This structure is essential for talking about past possibilities. It means "it is possible that something happened in the past, but we are not sure."
I might have left my keys at the restaurant.
They may have already heard the news.
She might not have received your email.
Certainty is a luxury that language rarely affords. May and might remind us that life is full of open doors and uncertain skies — and English has the perfect words for every shade of possibility.
— The Grammar GazetteExample Sentences
Common Expressions and Collocations
May and might appear in many fixed expressions and common collocations. Learning these phrases will make your English sound more natural and fluent.
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| may as well | There is no reason not to; it is a reasonable option | We may as well take a taxi. It is raining heavily. |
| might as well | Same as "may as well" (slightly more informal) | I might as well stay up late. I cannot sleep anyway. |
| may or may not | Used to show complete uncertainty | The project may or may not be approved by the committee. |
| if I may | A polite phrase to introduce an opinion or suggestion | If I may, I would like to suggest a different approach. |
| may I suggest | A formal way to offer a suggestion | May I suggest that we postpone the meeting until Friday? |
| come what may | No matter what happens; regardless of the circumstances | Come what may, we will finish this project on time. |
| be that as it may | Even if that is true; nevertheless | Be that as it may, we still need to follow the rules. |
| might have known | Used to express that something was predictable (often with slight annoyance) | I might have known he would be late again. |
"May as well" and "might as well" are extremely common in everyday English. They do not express strong enthusiasm — they mean "there is no better option, so let us do this." For example: "The movie starts in five minutes and we are already here, so we might as well watch it."
Short Answers and Responses
Unlike modals such as can, will, or must, may and might are not commonly used in short answers. Permission questions with "may" have their own response pattern, while possibility statements are usually answered with full sentences or other expressions.
| Question / Statement | Response | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| May I sit here? | Yes, you may. / Of course. | Formal permission granted |
| May I sit here? | No, you may not. / I am sorry, this seat is taken. | Permission denied (politely) |
| Do you think it will rain? | It may. / It might. | Short, uncertain response |
| Is she coming to the party? | She might. She has not decided yet. | Expressing uncertainty |
| Will they accept the offer? | They may. We will have to wait and see. | Showing possibility |
| Could he have forgotten? | He might have. It is quite possible. | Past possibility response |
May vs Might vs Could — Comparison
One of the most common questions learners ask is: "What is the difference between may, might, and could when talking about possibility?" All three can express possibility, but they differ in degree of probability and formality.
| Feature | May | Might | Could |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probability level | Medium-high (~50%) | Medium-low (~30%) | Medium (~40%) |
| Formality | Formal | Neutral / Slightly informal | Neutral |
| Permission | ✔ May I go? (formal) | ✘ Rarely used | ✔ Could I go? (polite) |
| Present possibility | ✔ She may be at home. | ✔ She might be at home. | ✔ She could be at home. |
| Past possibility | ✔ He may have left. | ✔ He might have left. | ✔ He could have left. |
| Hypothetical (Type 2) | ✘ Not typical | ✔ If I tried, I might succeed. | ✔ If I tried, I could succeed. |
| Negative possibility | ✔ It may not work. | ✔ It might not work. | ✘ "Could not" = impossibility, not negative possibility |
Here is a simple way to remember the probability order from highest to lowest:
will (almost certain) > may (quite possible) > could (possible) > might (less likely)
For example: "It will rain" (I am sure) vs "It may rain" (it is quite possible) vs "It could rain" (it is possible) vs "It might rain" (there is a small chance).
Be very careful with negatives! "Could not" does NOT mean "possibly not." It means impossibility.
It might not be true. = Perhaps it is not true. (negative possibility)
It could not be true. = It is impossible that it is true. (certainty that it is false)
For negative possibility, always use may not or might not, never "could not."