May vs.

Might

When planning a trip, it's important to check the weather forecast in advance. If it's going to
rain, you may want to bring an umbrella. However, if the forecast shows only a small chance
of rain, you might decide to leave the umbrella at home. Of course, the weather can be
unpredictable, so even if the forecast says it will be sunny, it may still rain unexpectedly. In
that case, you might regret not bringing your umbrella.

- In this text, "may" is used to indicate a possibility that is more likely to occur, while
"might" is used to indicate a possibility that is less likely to occur. This example also
shows how the use of these modal verbs can vary depending on the context and the
degree of certainty involved.

In conversation:

1) Samantha and Jane were planning a weekend trip to the beach.

Samantha: "Did you check the weather forecast for the weekend?"
Jane: "Not yet. Why?"
Samantha: "Well, we need to know if it's going to rain so we can pack accordingly."
Jane: "I'm sure it will be sunny. Let's just bring our swimsuits and sunscreen."
Samantha: "I don't think we should take that chance. What if the forecast says it may rain on
Saturday."
Jane: "Oh, okay. Well, in that case, we should bring an umbrella."
Samantha: "Exactly. But if the forecast says it might rain on Saturday, we could leave the
umbrella at home."
Jane: "Good point. We don't want to be weighed down by unnecessary stuff."
Samantha: "Exactly. But we also have to remember that the weather can be unpredictable.
Even if the forecast says it will be sunny, it may still rain unexpectedly."
Jane: "You're right. In that case, we might regret not bringing our umbrella."
 2) Anna was planning to go on a trip to Europe, but she wasn't sure if she would be able
to go. She knew that there were a lot of factors that could affect her plans.

Anna thought, "I may [be able to] go if I

can get time off work. But I might not
have enough money to cover all the
expenses. And even if I do, there may
be travel restrictions due to the
pandemic that could prevent me from
going."

Anna's friend Sarah noticed that Anna

seemed worried and asked, "What's on
your mind?"

Anna replied, "I'm trying to plan my trip to Europe, but there are so many uncertainties. I
may have to postpone it until next year."

Sarah said, "I understand. It might be a good idea to wait until things are more certain. You
never know what may happen."

Anna agreed and said, "You're right. I don't want to risk wasting money if something
unexpected comes up. I might just have to wait and see what happens."

In this text, Anna and Sarah use "may" and "might" to express the possibility of Anna being
able to go on her trip and the potential obstacles she might face. This demonstrates how
"may" and "might" can be used to express possibility and uncertainty in a practical context.

➔ To summarize:

- Probability: may/might - changes the use depending on which is more likely to

happen.
- Possibility: may/might/can/could - changes the use depending on formality. (may is
most formal, can is least formal)
- Ability: can/could - can is present and could is past.