‘May and might’ (Modal Verbs)
Permission: to give or take permission;
May I come inside the cabin? | May I write? |
Yes, you may come in. | May I transfer money by phone pe? |
May I go to the loo? | May I use your washroom? |
May I help you? | May l stay with you at night? |
May I join them? | No, you may not. |
Note: ‘May’ is a very formal style in comparison to ‘Can.’ It is frequently used in writing and speaking.
‘May and might’ (Modal Verbs) are auxiliary verbs are used to express Possibility:
She may attend the meeting today. | It may snow today in Shimla. |
He may/might come to meet us. | She may get late for the party. |
They may help us in our financial condition. | He may buy a new car this year. |
He may pass the exams. | It may be true what was spoken by her. |
Optative sentences :
‘May’ is used to express wish/pray/curse.
May God bless you! | May you get success in life! |
May your grandmother live long! | May your father get well soon! |
May you live long! | May you get married to a beautiful girl! |
May your book publish soon! | May You get selected in SSC CGL! |
Might – past of may (‘May and might’ (Modal Verbs)
Might is the past of may that is used in indirect speech:
She said that he might win the race. | He said that Rohit might talk to me. |
Remote possibility (less possibility)
‘Might’ is used to express remote possibility in the place of ‘May’.
It might hail. | She might climb the mountain. |
He got late from coaching. He might come to the ground to play football. | Yesterday we fought together that’s why she might tell the matter. |
He told me that he might come today. | Her father is in the hospital. She might attend the meeting. |
She might go for a picnic because her exams are near. | He hasn’t studied yet. He might pass the exams. |
Purpose:
“So that and in order” that are used to express purpose.
She studies a lot so that she may pass the exams. | He worked hard so that he might earn money a lot. |
My father fixed the deposit in LIC so that he might double the money. | The birds come back around march, so that the month of April may be an excellent time to see nature for them to fulfil their requirements. |
I will send you the books so that you may get them on time. | I have made some stuff parathas so that we may take them on the way. |
I am learning English in order that I may get a good job. | I have done Post Graduation so that I may get admission in PH.D |
‘May and might’ (Modal Verbs) are used as Progressive form:
He may be coming to Delhi to meet his friend. | We may be getting late for our conference. |
She might be doing yoga at the moment. | She was tired. She might be sleeping now. |
It may be raining there right now. | She might be working in his company now. (Possibly working now) |
The bus might be coming to Jaipur from Delhi now. | It’s too late to go to school. She might be playing badminton in school. |
They might be running at this time. | It may be raining in Mumbai. |
Exercise:
Fill in the blanks with the suitable ‘May and might’ (Modal Verbs) or auxiliary verbs
- ……. I come inside the cabin? (may/might)
- ……. I use your washroom? (may/might)
- She said that he …… win the race.(may/might)
- ……you get well soon! (may/might)
- …..you get married to a beautiful girl!(may/might)
- It’s raining heavily. He ….. come. (may/might)
- He got late from coaching. He ………come to the ground to play football.(may/might)
- He told me that he……..come today. (may/might)
- Her father is in the hospital. She …… attend the meeting.(may/might)
10. He works hard so that he ……. earn money a lot. (may/might)
11. My father has deposited money in LIC so that he ……. double the money. (may/might)
12. I was learning English in order that I ….get a good job. (may/might)
13. He ………. to Delhi to meet his friend. (May be going /may be go)
14. It’s too late to go to the park. She ……. be playing badminton in school. (may/might)
15. I will send you the books so that you …….
get them on time.(May/might)