Key Difference: Today, we are going to see the difference between the two words: May and Might. These two words have two distinct meanings. But many people get confused while using these words in the English language. The term May refers to “ask for something in a polite manner”. You can use the word “Might” to make a possibility. And, you need to know that might is the past form of the word may. Let’s see the differentiation of these words below.
May: May I take your car?
Might: It might be useful to you.
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May:
Being polite.
The term “May” refers to asking for permission or giving permission. Generally, this word can be used when talking about the possibility. To be more precise, we can use this word when we say it might happen or might not happen. When we are not sure about something, we can use this word. Let’s see a sample sentence for making it clear. We cannot predict the economy as it goes up or down anytime. From this statement, we might understand that we cannot understand our economy very well because it is unstable or unsure.
How Do We Spell the Word May?
Phonetics pronunciation of the word May is meɪ. And this word sounds like the following audio.
Enunciation:
Syllabification refers to the process of division of words into smaller parts. It is commonly known as syllables. With its help, you can easily read and spell the word accurately. Here, you will see how to split the word “May” by syllables.
- The word “May” has only one syllable.
- It cannot be divided.
Using “May” in sentences:
- May I get into the hall?
- She may not feel good.
- May I check your wallet?
- You may do as you wish.
- May I speak to her on a phone call?
Might:
Express a polite request.
When we talk about the possibilities, we can use the word “Might.” If you know that something will happen in the future, then you can use the word might. Might is the past form of the word “May.” This word can be used when someone is asking for permission or expressing a polite request. Let’s see an example to make it clear. She might not have time to speak with you. From this statement, we understand that she has no time to speak with you.
How Do We Spell the Word Might?
Phonetics pronunciation of the word Might is mʌɪt. And this word sounds like the following audio.
Enunciation:
Syllabification refers to the process of division of words into smaller parts. It is commonly known as syllables. With its help, you can easily read and spell the word accurately. Here, you will see how to split the word “Might” by syllables.
- The word “Might” has only one syllable.
- It cannot be divided.
Using “Might” in sentences:
- She might come to the party.
- I might be late for school.
- This dish might need some salt.
- My dad might be taller than my mother.
- He might be angry.
Compare: May Vs Might
This table will show you the contradiction between the words May and Might.
| May | Might | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Used to ask for permission in a polite manner. | Refers to express a polite request. |
| Synonyms | be possible, will, might, allow | Strength, power, stamina, robustness |
| Parts of Speech | verb | noun |
| Etymology | Old English mæg, of Germanic origin, from a base meaning ‘have power’; related to Dutch mogen and German mögen | Old English miht, mieht, of Germanic origin; related to may. |
| Examples | They may go and visit their hometown. It may hurt. May I join you guys? May I ask the reason? | What she said yesterday might be true. She might have met him. Ronnie might be thing wrongly. Take extra shoes, they might be useful to you on your trekking. |
Resources and References:
Resources: Cambridge Dictionary (May, Might), Merriam-Webster (May, Might), Collins Dictionary (May, Might), Dictionary.com (May, Might)
Reference: Dictionary.Cambridge.org[1], Merriam-Webster.com[2], CollinsDictionary.com[3], Dictionary.com[4].