🗺️ MAY / MIGHT GRAMMAR MAP

PRESENT / FUTURE POSSIBILITY (30% - 50% Certainty)

Expressing uncertain future plans or possibilities.

(+) Positive S + may / might + V(bare)

(-) Negative S + may not / might not (mightn't) + V(bare)

(?) Question May I open the window?

FORMAL PERMISSION & HYPOTHETICALS

May I (formal request) | Might (lower probability than may).

(+) Positive May I leave early? • It might rain later

(-) Negative You may not enter

(?) Question May we sit here?

1. Form & Structure

May vs Might Comparison & Permission Matrix

MAY (Possibility ~50%): I may go to Paris this summer. (It is possible).
MIGHT (Lower Possibility ~30%): It might snow tomorrow, but it is unlikely.
MAY I... (Formal Permission): May I ask a question, Professor?
MAY NOT vs MIGHT NOT: He may not come. (Có thể anh ấy sẽ không đến).

Example / Question	Positive / Short Answer	Negative / Short Answer
May I come in?	Yes, you may.	No, you may not.
It might rain later.	Take an umbrella.	Possibility ~30%
They may be at home.	Call them first.	Possibility ~50%

2. Key Rules & Formation

Rule	Base / Standard Form	Applied Form
Bare Infinitive Rule	Always use base verb (V1 without to) after MAY and MIGHT!	may go (NOT "may to go" or "may goes")
No Contraction for May Not	"May not" is NEVER contracted into "mayn't" in modern English. Always write "may not".	may not (CORRECT) vs mayn't (WRONG)
Might is NOT past tense of May here	In present context, "might" simply means a lower degree of possibility than "may".	It might rain (present possibility, lower chance than may)

3. Practical Usage & Examples

1. Expressing uncertainty about future events

Talk about plans that have not been finalized.

We might stay at home, or we may go out.

2. Asking formal permission politely

Request permission in official or professional settings.

May I leave the room for a minute?

3. Speculating about present possibilities

Guess current situations when facts are unclear.

Where is Tom? - He might be in his bedroom.

4. Signal Words & Usage Context

maymightmay notmight notperhapsmaybepossibly

Certainty Comparison:

Will (100%) > May (50%) > Might (30%)

💡 Common Mistakes & Memory Tips

Mistake 1: Adding "to" after may or might
❌ Incorrect: He might to call you tonight.
✓ Correct: He might call you tonight.
Note: Modal verbs take bare infinitive.
Mistake 2: Writing "mayn't"
❌ Incorrect: It mayn't rain today.
✓ Correct: It may not rain today.
Note: Never contract "may not".
Mistake 3: Confusing "maybe" (adverb) and "may be" (verb phrase)
❌ Incorrect: He maybe at home.
✓ Correct: He may be at home. (or Maybe he is at home)
Note: "May be" is modal + verb; "Maybe" is an adverb.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the main difference between "can" and "may" when asking permission?

"Can I...?" is casual and common in informal spoken English ("Can I use your pen?"). "May I...?" is formal and extremely polite ("May I present the findings?").

Q2: How do we express past possibility with may and might?

Use "may have + V3" or "might have + V3" (e.g., "She might have missed the bus" = có thể cô ấy đã lỡ chuyến xe).

Q3: Can "might" be used in second conditional sentences?

Yes! "Might" replaces "would" to express an uncertain hypothetical result: "If I won the lottery, I might buy a boat" (tôi có thể sẽ mua thuyền, nhưng chưa chắc).

1. Form & Structure

May vs Might Comparison & Permission Matrix

MAY (Possibility ~50%): I may go to Paris this summer. (It is possible).

MIGHT (Lower Possibility ~30%): It might snow tomorrow, but it is unlikely.

MAY I... (Formal Permission): May I ask a question, Professor?

MAY NOT vs MIGHT NOT: He may not come. (Có thể anh ấy sẽ không đến).

Example / Question	Positive / Short Answer	Negative / Short Answer
May I come in?	Yes, you may.	No, you may not.
It might rain later.	Take an umbrella.	Possibility ~30%
They may be at home.	Call them first.	Possibility ~50%

2. Key Rules & Formation

Rule	Base / Standard Form	Applied Form
Bare Infinitive Rule	Always use base verb (V1 without to) after MAY and MIGHT!	may go (NOT "may to go" or "may goes")
No Contraction for May Not	"May not" is NEVER contracted into "mayn't" in modern English. Always write "may not".	may not (CORRECT) vs mayn't (WRONG)
Might is NOT past tense of May here	In present context, "might" simply means a lower degree of possibility than "may".	It might rain (present possibility, lower chance than may)

3. Practical Usage & Examples

1. Expressing uncertainty about future events

Talk about plans that have not been finalized.

We might stay at home, or we may go out.

2. Asking formal permission politely

Request permission in official or professional settings.

May I leave the room for a minute?

3. Speculating about present possibilities

Guess current situations when facts are unclear.

Where is Tom? - He might be in his bedroom.

💡 Common Mistakes & Memory Tips

Mistake 1: Adding "to" after may or might
❌ Incorrect: He might to call you tonight.
✓ Correct: He might call you tonight.

Note: Modal verbs take bare infinitive.

Mistake 2: Writing "mayn't"
❌ Incorrect: It mayn't rain today.
✓ Correct: It may not rain today.

Note: Never contract "may not".

Mistake 3: Confusing "maybe" (adverb) and "may be" (verb phrase)
❌ Incorrect: He maybe at home.
✓ Correct: He may be at home. (or Maybe he is at home)

Note: "May be" is modal + verb; "Maybe" is an adverb.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the main difference between "can" and "may" when asking permission?

"Can I...?" is casual and common in informal spoken English ("Can I use your pen?"). "May I...?" is formal and extremely polite ("May I present the findings?").

Q2: How do we express past possibility with may and might?

Use "may have + V3" or "might have + V3" (e.g., "She might have missed the bus" = có thể cô ấy đã lỡ chuyến xe).

Q3: Can "might" be used in second conditional sentences?

Yes! "Might" replaces "would" to express an uncertain hypothetical result: "If I won the lottery, I might buy a boat" (tôi có thể sẽ mua thuyền, nhưng chưa chắc).

May / Might

1. Form & Structure

May vs Might Comparison & Permission Matrix

2. Key Rules & Formation

3. Practical Usage & Examples

1. Expressing uncertainty about future events

2. Asking formal permission politely

3. Speculating about present possibilities

4. Signal Words & Usage Context

💡 Common Mistakes & Memory Tips

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the main difference between "can" and "may" when asking permission?

Q2: How do we express past possibility with may and might?

Q3: Can "might" be used in second conditional sentences?

May / Might

1. Form & Structure

May vs Might Comparison & Permission Matrix

2. Key Rules & Formation

3. Practical Usage & Examples

1. Expressing uncertainty about future events

2. Asking formal permission politely

3. Speculating about present possibilities

4. Signal Words & Usage Context

💡 Common Mistakes & Memory Tips

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the main difference between "can" and "may" when asking permission?

Q2: How do we express past possibility with may and might?

Q3: Can "might" be used in second conditional sentences?

Other Modal Verbs lessons

Practice Exercises