We use may and might to talk about possible actions or happenings in the future:
* I haven't decided yet where to spend my holidays. I may go to Ireland. (= perhaps I will go to Ireland)
* Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It might rain later. (= perhaps it will rain)
* The bus doesn't always come on time. We might have to wait a few minutes. (= perhaps we will have to wait).
The negative forms are may not and might not (mightn't):
* Ann may not come to the party tonight. She isn't well. (= perhaps she will not come)
* There might not be a meeting on Friday because the director is ill. (= perhaps there will not be a meeting).
Usually it doesn't matter whether you use may or might. So you can say:
* I may go to Ireland. or I might go to Ireland.
* Jane might be able to help you. or Jane may be able to help you.
But we use only might (not may) when the situation is not real:
* If I knew them better, I might invite them to dinner. (The situation here is not real because I don't know them very well, so I'm not going to invite them. 'May' is not possible in this example.)
There is also a continuous form: may/might be ~ing. Compare this with will be ~ing:
* Don't phone at 8.30. I'll be watching the football on television.
* Don't phone at 8.30. I might be watching (or I may be watching) the football on
television. (= perhaps I'll be watching it)
We also use may/might be ~ing for possible plans. Compare:
* I'm going to Ireland in July. (for sure)
* I may be going (or I might be going) to Ireland in July. (possible)
But you can also say 'I may go (or I might go) to Ireland...' with little difference of meaning.
Might as well/may as well
Study this example:
Helen and Clare have just missed the bus. The buses run every hour.
Helen: What shall we do? Shall we walk?
Clare: We might as well. It's a nice day and I don't want to wait here for an hour.
'(We) might as well do something'= (We) should do something because there is nothing better to do and there is no reason not to do it.You can also say 'may as well'.
* A: What time are you going?
B: Well, I'm ready, so I might as well go now. (or ... I may as well go now)
* The buses are so expensive these days, you might as well get a taxi. (= taxis are just as good, no more expensive).
EXERCISES
30. Write sentences with may or might.
1. Where are you going for your holidays? (to Ireland???)
I haven't decided yet. _I may go to Ireland._
2. What sort of car are you going to buy? (a Mercedes???)
I'm not sure yet. I ---
3. What are you doing this weekend? (go to London???)
I haven't decided yet. ---
4. Where are you going to hang that picture? (in the dining room???)
I haven't made up my mind yet. ---
5. When is Tom coming to see us? (on Saturday???)
I don't know yet. ---
6. What is Julia going to do when she leaves school? (go to university???)
She hasn't decided yet. ---
30.2 Complete the sentences using might + one of these verbs:
bite break need rain slip wake
1. Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It _might rain_ later.
2. Don't make too much noise. You --- the baby.
3. Be careful of that dog. It --- you.
4. I don't think we should throw that letter away. We --- it later.
5. Be careful. The footpath is very icy. You ---
6. I don't want the children to play in this room. They --- something.
30.3 Complete the sentences using might be able to or might have to + a suitable verb.
1. I can't help you but why don't you ask Jill? She _might be able to help_ you.
2. I can't meet you this evening but I --- you tomorrow evening.
3 I'm not working on Saturday but I --- on Sunday.
4. George isn't well. He --- to hospital for an operation.
30.4 Write sentences with may not or might not.
1. (I don't know if Ann will come to the party.) Ann might not come to the party.
2. (I don't know if I'll go out this evening.) I ---
3. (I don't know if Tom will like the present I bought for him.)
Tom ---
4. (I don't know if Sue will be able to meet us this evening.) ---
30.5 Read the situations and make sentences with may/might as well.
1. You and a friend have just missed the bus. The buses run every hour.
You say: We'll have to wait an hour for the next bus. _We might as well waik._
2. You have a free ticket for a concert. You're not very keen on the concert but you decide to go. You say: I --- to the concert. It's a pity to waste a free ticket.
3. You're in a cafe with a friend. You've finished your drinks. It's a nice cafe and there is no reason to go now, so why not have another drink? You say: We ---. What would you like?
4. You and a friend are at home. You are bored. There's a film on TV starting in a few minutes. You say: ---. There's nothing else to do.
30.1
2 I may/might buy a Mercedes.
3 I may/might go to London.
4 I may/might hang it in the dining room.
5 He may/might come on Saturday.
6 She may/might go to university.
30.2
2 might wake
3 might bite
4 might need
5 might slip
6 might break
30.3
2 might be able to meet/see
3 might have to work
4 might have to go
30.4
2 I may/might not go out this evening.
3 Tom may/might not like the present I bought for him.
4 Sue may/might not be able to meet us this evening.
30.5
2 may/might as well go
3 may/might as well have another drink
4 We may/might as well watch it. or ... watch the film.
