MODAL VERBSMAY - MIGHT

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

Last Class

CAN

Ability / Possibility

Inability / Impossibility

Asking for Permission

Request

Could

Asking for permission.

Request

Suggestion

Future possibility

Ability in the past

Would

Asking for permission Request

Request

Making arrangements

Invitation

Preferences

Exercise

Fill in the gaps with COULD, CAN, WOULD.

I _____finish tomorrow. (not sure)

He _____ go if he wants. (certainty)

We ______ be very tired after playing soccer. (probability)

Exercise

_____ you play chess with me? (Formal Request)

_____ you call me? (formal request)

___ she go out tonight? (informal request)

MAY and MIGHT

Difference

MAY > MIGHT

Time tenses

May

Possibility

Request Permission

Give Permission

May

Possibility

It may rain

May

I may be able tomorrow.

She may want to go with you.

The teacher may be giving juice.

She may hate you after having cheated on her.

He may be drunk after that party.

It may be pretty difficult to say that you are a

thief.

May Not

My mom may not be so happy after

knowing she’s gonna be a granny.

I may not work tomorrow.

They may not know that.

It may not be a good idea.

He may not play in the street.

May – Request Permission

May I leave early?

May I smoke here?

May I ask a question please?

May we go home now?

May I use your telephone?

May we suggest something?

May – Giving Permission

You may go home now, if you like.

Students may travel free.

Might

Possibility

Suggestion

Request

Might - Possibility

She might be on the bus. I think her car is having problems.

She might not be on the bus. She might be walking home.

She might have taken the bus. I'm not sure how she got to work.

She might not have taken the bus. She might have walked home.

Might - Suggestion

You might try the cheesecake.

You might not want to eat the cheese cake. It's very calorific.

Might – Request (super mega formal)

Might I have something to drink?

Might I borrow the stapler?

Rewrite these sentences using May or Might. I am talking to my boss and I

am very thirsty. I really need a glass of water.

I am not sure if Susy got the message.

I think that your ex will get over you soon.

I think I’m wrong.

I don’t think you should tell her about your disease.

I do want to go early, but my teacher is very strict.

I think that your friend is cheating on her girlfriend.

When you think or guess that something might have happened. Subject + May/Might + have + Past

participle verb + predicate Examples You might have chosen another

lesson.

He might have told all the truth.

She may have had an accident.