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The Modal Verb MAY

The modal verb "may" has two forms: the present tense "may" and the past tense "might". "May" expresses permission and is followed by the indefinite infinitive. "Might" is used as the past tense of "may" in subordinate clauses and can express polite requests. "May" can also imply uncertainty, possibility, or reproach depending on the tense of the verb it precedes. "Might" is mostly used as the subjunctive mood to refer to present or future possibilities and past non-occurrences.

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118 views2 pages

The Modal Verb MAY

The modal verb "may" has two forms: the present tense "may" and the past tense "might". "May" expresses permission and is followed by the indefinite infinitive. "Might" is used as the past tense of "may" in subordinate clauses and can express polite requests. "May" can also imply uncertainty, possibility, or reproach depending on the tense of the verb it precedes. "Might" is mostly used as the subjunctive mood to refer to present or future possibilities and past non-occurrences.

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THE MODAL VERB

MAY

The basic meaning of the modal verb may is permission. The modal verb may
has two forms: the present tense – may e.g. She may go home and the past tense –
might e.g. He asked the doctor, if he might use his phone. The form might is used as
the past tense of the Indicative Mood only in subordinate clauses according to the
rule of the sequence of tenses. In the meaning of permission the verb may is
followed by the Indefinite Infinitive. e.g. May I use your phone, You may go home
with whom you will. The form might is used in the meaning of permission is only
used in interrogative sentences to express a polite request e.g. Might I speak this word
for you.
The combinations in the Passive Voice to be allowed / to be permitted are
commonly used for the past and future tenses e.g. She was allowed to go home
yesterday, She will be allowed to go home tomorrow. We were permitted to use
dictionaries. We will be permitted to use dictionaries.
The form might is mostly used as Subjunctive II. It refers to the present or
future when followed by the Indefinite Infinitive e.g. She might help her granny
about the house, but she studies at the university. It refers to the past when followed
by the Perfect Infinitive e.g. I might have stayed at home, but I went out).
The other meanings of the modal verb may are:
1. Supposition implying uncertainty. In this meaning the verb may is used in
affirmative and negative sentences with all forms of the infinitive.
The Indefinite Infinitive mostly refers to the future e. g. She may come back.
The Continuous Infinitive e. g. He may be waiting for you refers to the moment of
speaking and the Perfect Infinitive to the past e. g. I may have put it on the table. The
Perfect Continious Infinitive e. g. He may have been waiting for you for 2 hours. The
Present Perfect Continuous is used to express all action which began in the past, has
been going on up to the present and is either still continuing or just finished.
2. Possibility depending on circumstances. In this meaning may is used only in
affirmative sentences e. g. You may go there by train.
The form might in this meaning is used as Subjanctive II e. g. You might find
him in between 11 and 12)
When might is followed by the Perfect Infinitive it shows that the action was
not carried out e. g. You might have found him in this office yesterday, but I was late
and he had gone earlier.
3. Reproach, dissapproval. In this meaning only might is used e. g. You might
be more attentive, You might have helped her yesterday.

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