Fundamentals Of English Grammar

7-3 EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY: MAY AND MIGHT
EXPRESSING PERMISSION: MAY AND CAN
(a) It may min tomorrow.
(b) It mipht min tomorrow.
(c) A: Why isn't John in class?
B: I don'r how. He 1 m,pht "f9v ]be sick today.
(d) It may not rain tomorrow.
(e) It m&ht not win tomorrow.
(f) Maybe it will rain tomorrow.
coMPAR6
(8) Maybe John is sick. (add)
(h) John mqy be sick. (verb)

(i) Yes, children, you may have a cookie after

dinner.

(i) Okay, kids, you can have a cookie after dinner.

Q You may not hawe a cookie.

You can't have a cookie.

May and might express possibility in the present or

future. They have the same meaning. There is no

difference in meaning between (a) and @).

Negative: may not and might not. (Do not

contmct may and might with not.)

In (f) and (g): maybe (spelled as one word) is an

adverb. It means "possibly!' It comes at the

beginning of a sentence.

WCO~CT: It will maybe rain tomom.

In (h): mqy be (two words) is a verb form: the

auxiliary may + the main d be.

INCO~ John maybe sick.

May is also used to give permission, as in (i).

Often can is used to give permission, too, as in (j).

(i) and (j) have the same meaning, but may is more

formal than can.

May not and cannot (can't) are used to deny

permission (i.e., to say "no").

EXERCISE 7. Expressing posslbliity: MAY, MIGHT, and MAYBE. (Chart 7-3)

Directions: Answer the questions. Include at least three possibilities in the answer to each

question, using may, might, and maybe as in the example.

Example: What are you going to do tomorrow?

+ I don't know. I may go downtown. Or I might go to the laundromat.

Maybe I'll study all day. Who knows?

1. What are you going to do tomorrow night?


2. What's the weather going to be like tomorrow?


3. What is (... ) going to do tonight?


4. I'm taking something out of my briefcase/
   purse/pocket/wallet. It's small, and I'm holding
   it in my fist. What is it?


5. What does (... ) have in her purse?


6. What does (... ) have in his pants pockets?


7. (... ) isn't in class today. Where is hetshe?


8. You have another class after this one. What are
   you going to do in that class?


9. Look at the picture. What is the man's
   occupation? What is the woman's occupation?

Modal Auxlllarles 193