Review

"May" and "might" are modal verbs. Modal verbs are verbs that show the speaker's attitude towards an action or event.

Learn all about the English modal verbs using our illustrated series of workbooks. 

 

When to Use "May" vs. "Might"

"May" is used to express a high possibility or a permission to do something.

For example:

• "I may go to the party tonight" means there is a good chance that I will attend the party tonight.
• "May I borrow your pen?" is asking for permission to use the pen.

On the other hand, "might" is used to express a lower possibility or uncertainty.

For example:

• "I might go to the party tonight" means that there is a chance that I will attend the party tonight, but it's not certain.
• "I might be able to finish the project by tomorrow" means that it's possible that the project will be finished, but it's not guaranteed.

Additionally, "might" is often used to express a polite or less assertive form of asking permission as in "Might I ask a question?".

And now, let's practice...

Campus or the World?

A Short Story to Practice the Modal Verbs "May" and "Might"

Janet has just graduated high school and is now facing a big question: "What's next?".

She may want to go to college, but then again, she might just want to take a gap year and backpack through Europe, eating croissants and taking Instagram-worthy photos!

(A gap year is a break taken before college, where one might travel, work, volunteer, or gain real-world experience.)

She may turn to her parents for guidance, but they might just give her conflicting advice... "Go to college, you'll regret not getting a degree!" versus "Take a gap year, you'll regret not traveling while you're young!".

Janet starts to feel like she's stuck in a dilemma. At this rate, she may never make up her mind! Who might be able to help her?

She might then turn to her friends for advice, but they may just end up giving her even more confusion, such as "Go to college and party!" versus "Take a gap year and party in different countries!".

With so many possible options and opinions, Janet may just want to curl up in a ball and watch videos for the next year...

But fear not! Janet may just decide to trust herself and do what feels right for her, whether it's college or a gap year.

And who knows, she might even discover a new passion or find herself on an unexpected path. 

After all, life is all about taking risks and reaching goals, and Janet may just have to roll with it and have fun along the way. 

And at the end, she may finally realize that she doesn't have to pick one or the other, she might be able to combine both, traveling while taking online classes!

THE END 

 

For more resources on English modal verbs get our illustrated workbooks English Modal Verbs Series – The easy way to teach modal and semi-modal verbs. These eBooks contains 365 pages of explanations, rules, exercises, stories, and lots of hands-on practice.