Might

Área Lectura y Escritura

Resultados de aprendizaje
Conocer el uso del verbo modal might.
Aplicar el verbo modal might en ejercicios de escritura.

Contenidos
1. Verbo modal might.

Debo saber

- Verbos en infinitivo
Might
In order to understand the use of the modal verb ‘might’ we will check some examples:

- A: Where are you going for your holidays?

- B: I’m not sure. I might go to New York.

- A: It might rain. (Looking to some grey clouds on the sky).

In the two examples ‘might’ means that something is possible to happen; it is possible that B will go
to New York and it is possible that it will rain.

In terms of structure, the word might is used as a modal verb followed by the verb in its base or
infinitive form.

- I might be president one day.

- You might play in our team.
- He might come to the party.
- She might run the company.
- It might be dangerous.
- We might be wrong.
- They might be brave if they want to live there.

As you can see in the examples above, the use of might is the same for every single personal
pronoun; the verb after might never changes. Let’s see more examples in context:

- I might go to the cinema this evening, but I’m not sure.

- A: When is Rebecca going to phone you?
- B: I don’t know. She might phone this afternoon.

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 - Take an umbrella with you. It might rain.

- Buy a lottery ticket. You might be lucky. (= perhaps you will be lucky)

- A: Are you going out tonight? B: I might.

Check and study the difference between something that is possible and sure:

- I’m playing tennis tomorrow. (sure)

- I might play tennis tomorrow. (possible)

- Rebecca is going to phone later. (sure)

- Rebecca might phone later. (possible)

In the case of the negative we use might + not which means it is possible that I will not:

- I might not go to work tomorrow. (= it is possible that I will not go).

- Sue might not come to the party. (= it is possible that she will not come).

May
You can use may in the same way. I may = I might:

- I may go to the cinema this evening. (= I might go)

- Sue may not come to the party. (= Sue might not come)

Some linguistics argue that the use of ‘may’ is used in more formal contexts.

May I …? = Is it OK to …? / Can I …?

- May I ask a question? (= is it OK to ask / can I ask?)

- May I sit here? ‘Yes, of course.’

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 Exercises
1. Write sentences with –might.

1. (it’s possible that I’ll go to the cinema) I might go to the cinema.

2. (It’s possible that I’ll see you tomorrow) I ____________________________________.
3. (It’s possible that Sarah will forget to phone) _________________________________.
4. (It’s possible that it will snow today) ________________________________________.
5. (It’s possible that I’ll be late tonight) ________________________________________.

2. Write sentences with – might not.

1. (It’s possible that Mark will not be here next week) _____________________________.
2. (It’s possible that I won’t have time to go out) _________________________________.

3. Somebody is asking you about your plans. You have some ideas, but you are not sure.
Choose from the list and write sentences with I might.

Fish – Go away – Italy – Monday – A new car – Taxi

1. Where are you going for your holidays?
2. What are you doing at the weekend?
3. When will you see Kate again?
4. What are you going to have for dinner?
5. How are you going to get home tonight?
6. I hear you won some money. What
are you going to do with it?
I’m not sure. I might go to Italy.
I don’t know. I ______________________.
I’m not sure. _______________________.
I don’t know. _______________________.
I’m not sure. _______________________.
I haven’t decided yet. _________________.

4. You ask Bill questions about his plans for tomorrow. Sometimes he is sure, but usually
he is not sure.

1. Are you playing tennis tomorrow? Yes, in the afternoon.

2. Are you going out tomorrow evening? Possibly.
3. Are you going to get up early? Perhaps.
4. Are you working tomorrow? No, I’m not.
5. Will you be at home tomorrow morning? Maybe.
6. Are you going to watch television? I might.

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 7. Are you going out in the afternoon? Yes, I am.
8. Are you going shopping? Perhaps.

Now write about Bill. Use – might where necessary.

1. He’s playing tennis tomorrow afternoon.

2. He might go out tomorrow evening.
3. He _______________________________________________________________.
4. __________________________________________________________________.
5. __________________________________________________________________.
6. __________________________________________________________________.
7. __________________________________________________________________.
8. __________________________________________________________________.

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 Key
1. Write sentences with –might.

1. I might go to the cinema.

2. I might see you tomorrow.
3. Sarah might forget to phone.
4. It might snow today.
5. I might be late tonight.

2. Write sentences with – might not.

1. Mark might not be here next week.

2. I might not have time to go out.

3. Somebody is asking you about your plans. You have some ideas, but you are not sure.
Choose from the list and write sentences with I might.

1. I might go away.
2. I might see her on Monday.
3. I might have fish.
4. I might get / take a taxi or go by taxi.
5. I might buy a new card.

4. You ask Bill questions about his plans for tomorrow. Sometimes he is sure, but usually
he is not sure.

1. He’s playing tennis tomorrow afternoon.

2. He might go out tomorrow evening.
3. He might get up early.
4. He isn’t working tomorrow.
5. He might be at home tomorrow morning.
6. He might watch television.
7. He’s going out in the afternoon.
8. He might go shopping.

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Primera Edición – 2016
En caso de encontrar algún error, contáctate con PAIEP-USACH al correo: lecturayescritura.paiep@usach.cl
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