May and MightA2–B1

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Might and may for possibility; may for formal permission. Might and may take no -s, no to and no do, and the negative is might not: She might come. He might not come.

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CheatsheetA2–B1

Point	Rule	Example
Form	subject + might / may + base verb; one form for every subject	She might come.
Negative	might not / may not	He might not come.
Possibility	something possible, now or in the future	She might be at home. / We might go to the beach.
Might or may	might sounds a little less sure	It might rain. / It may rain.
Possibility question	ask with think + will	Do you think it will rain?
B1Permission	May + subject + base verb asks; may allows in formal rules	May I use your phone? / Guests may use the pool until 10.
B1Certainty	will is sure, probably very likely, may / might possible	She will come. / She'll probably come. / She may come.
Trap	may be follows the subject; maybe starts a clause	He may be late. / Maybe he is late.

OverviewA2–B1

might and may have one form for every subject: she might, she may.
The verb after might or may is in the base form: It might rain.
The negative is might not / may not.
B1Questions with may ask for permission, with may before the subject: May I sit here?
A question about possibility uses think + will: Do you think it will rain?

Pronunciation: may and mightA2

Form	Sound	Example
might	/maɪt/	It might rain. /ɪt maɪt reɪn/
may	/meɪ/	It may rain. /ɪt meɪ reɪn/
maybe	/ˈmeɪbi/	Maybe later. /ˈmeɪbi ˈleɪtə/

The gh in might is silent: /maɪt/.

UseA2–B1

Use	Example
Possibility now	She might be at home.
Possibility in the future	We might go to the beach.
Possibility that something is not true	He might not know.
B1Formal permission (May I…?)	May I use your phone?
B1Formal rules: what is allowed	Guests may use the pool until 10.

might and may are close in meaning; might sounds a little less sure.
could also expresses possibility: It could rain. See Can and Could.

Signal wordsA2

Word	Example
maybe	Maybe she is busy.
perhaps	Perhaps we can meet later.
probably	She'll probably come.
I'm not sure	I'm not sure. It might rain.

maybe is one word and starts a clause: Maybe he is late.
may be is two words and follows the subject: He may be late.

Degrees of certaintyB1

Certainty	Example
sure	She will come. / She won't come.
very likely	She'll probably come.
possible	She may come. / She might come.

Use will when you are sure and may / might when you are not.

Typical errorsA2

✗	✓	Rule
It mights rain.	It might rain.	might has no -s
It might to rain.	It might rain.	might + base verb; no to
I don't might go.	I might not go.	negative = might not
He maybe at home.	He may be at home. / Maybe he is at home.	may be after the subject; maybe at the start
She might will come.	She might come.	a modal verb takes no second modal