Grammar
B1–B2
6 min read
Updated 10 June 2026
Quick answer: May suggests a higher possibility (more likely): “I may go to the party.” Might suggests less certainty (less likely): “I might go if I feel better.” In everyday English both are often interchangeable, but in formal writing the distinction in degree of probability is worth preserving.
Comparison Table
| Word | Meaning | Part of Speech | Example |
|---|
| may | possibility (higher probability) or permission | modal verb | She may arrive before noon. |
| might | possibility (lower probability) or hypothetical situations | modal verb | He might come if he finishes work early. |
Using May (Modal Verb)
May is a modal verb used to express possibility (something is fairly likely to happen), permission (in formal contexts), or wishes and hopes. When expressing possibility, may implies the speaker thinks there is a reasonable or good chance of something occurring.
It may rain this afternoon — the sky looks dark.
She may already know the answer.
You may leave the room when you have finished.
May you have a wonderful journey! (formal wish)
When to Use May
- When something is more probable: The results may be ready by Friday.
- To give or ask for formal permission: May I come in?
- In formal or written English for polite possibility: This may cause delays.
- In expressions of hope or good wishes: May you live long and prosper.
Using Might (Modal Verb)
Might is the past form of may, but in modern English it functions as a separate modal verb. It expresses weaker or more remote possibility — the speaker is less confident something will happen. It is also used in reported speech (after a past reporting verb) and in conditional or hypothetical sentences.
I might go to the gym later, but I’m quite tired.
He said he might be late. (reported speech)
If I had more time, I might learn Japanese.
They might have left already — I’m not sure.
When to Use Might
- When something is less certain or less likely: It might snow, but probably won’t.
- In reported speech after a past tense verb: She said she might call.
- In conditional sentences (hypothetical): If you asked nicely, he might help.
- To make a suggestion sound tentative or polite: You might want to reconsider that.
Memory Trick
Think of the word might as sounding like iffy — when you are uncertain or on the fence, use might. May is shorter and more direct, like an open doorway: an open door suggests something is more likely to happen. If you can replace the word with “there is a good chance”, choose may; if you would say “there is only a small chance”, choose might.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1 — Using might when asking for permission
✗ Might I use your phone? (archaic and very unusual in modern English)
✓ May I use your phone? (correct formal request for permission)
Mistake 2 — Using may in hypothetical conditional sentences
✗ If she studied harder, she may pass.
✓ If she studied harder, she might pass. (conditional: use might)
Mistake 3 — Forgetting to use might in reported speech
✗ He told me he may come. (awkward after a past reporting verb)
✓ He told me he might come. (standard reported speech after past verb)
Practice Links
Practise choosing between might and may with these interactive exercises:
More Confusing Words
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between might and may?
Both might and may are modal verbs that express possibility. May implies a higher probability — the speaker thinks something is fairly likely: “I may be late” (a real possibility). Might implies weaker or more remote possibility — the speaker is less confident: “I might be late” (less certain). In everyday spoken English the distinction is often blurred, but in formal writing it is worth preserving. Might is also the past tense of may and is required in reported speech: “She said she might come.”
Can I use may and might interchangeably?
In informal everyday English, yes — most native speakers use them interchangeably when expressing possibility: “It may rain” and “It might rain” are both widely accepted. However, there are three situations where they are not interchangeable: (1) permission — only may is used formally (“May I sit down?”); (2) hypothetical or conditional sentences — might is preferred (“If I had time, I might go”); (3) reported speech — might is standard after a past reporting verb (“He said he might call”).
Which is more certain — might or may?
May expresses higher certainty or probability; might expresses lower certainty. “I may go to the party” suggests a good chance you will go. “I might go to the party” suggests it is possible but less likely — perhaps you are undecided or the conditions are uncertain. Think of may as roughly 50% or above, and might as below 50%, though this is a simplification. In practice the difference is subtle and context-dependent.
Is “might” the past tense of “may”?
Historically yes — might is the past form of may. In modern English, however, might functions as an independent modal verb in the present and future too, not just the past. You use might as the past form of may specifically in reported speech: direct speech “I may be late” becomes reported speech “She said she might be late.” In all other present or future uses, might simply signals weaker possibility, not past time.
How do I ask for permission — may or might?
Use may to ask for permission: “May I borrow your pen?” is the standard polite form. “Might I borrow your pen?” is grammatically possible but sounds archaic and overly formal in modern English. In informal speech, “Can I...?” is also widely accepted. In formal or written contexts, “May I...?” remains the most appropriate choice for permission requests.
Should I use might or may in conditional sentences?
Use might in conditional (if-) sentences, especially hypothetical ones: “If it rains, we might cancel the trip.” In second conditionals (unreal present or future), might is always preferred over may: “If I won the lottery, I might travel the world.” Using may in a second conditional sounds unnatural to most native speakers because may implies real, current possibility rather than a hypothetical scenario.
What does “might have” mean?
“Might have” (also written “might’ve”) is used in two ways: (1) Speculation about the past — something was possibly true in the past: “She might have left already” (perhaps she has already left, I am not sure). (2) Criticism or mild reproach — you could have done something but did not: “You might have told me you were coming!” Compare with “may have,” which is similar but implies slightly greater confidence that the past event occurred.
Can might express permission like may does?
In very formal or old-fashioned English, might was used for permission: “Might I trouble you for a moment?” This usage still appears occasionally in literary or very polite formal writing. In modern everyday English, however, might is rarely used for permission. Use may for polite formal permission requests (“May I...?”) and can for informal ones (“Can I...?”). Using might for permission will sound unusual or archaic to most modern speakers.
How is might used in reported speech?
When converting direct speech to reported (indirect) speech, may changes to might when the reporting verb is in the past tense. Direct: “I may be late,” she said. Reported: She said she might be late. This follows the standard backshift rule in reported speech where present modals shift to their past forms. If the reporting verb is present (“She says she may be late”), no backshift is needed and may stays as may.
Are there fixed phrases with may or might I should know?
Yes. Common fixed phrases with may: “may as well” (it is a reasonable option — “We may as well wait”); “come what may” (whatever happens — a fixed idiom); “May you...” (formal wishes). Common patterns with might: “might as well” (same as may as well, slightly more informal); “might have known” (expressing unsurprised disappointment — “I might have known he would be late”); “you might want to” (polite suggestion — “You might want to check the terms first”).