May is a modal verb used to express possibility ("It may rain this afternoon") or to give and request permission ("You may use a dictionary during the reading comprehension test"). As a proper noun, May is the fifth month of the year.
What Does May Mean?
May comes from Old English mæg, meaning "am able" or "have power", related to Proto-Germanic magan. Over centuries the meaning shifted from pure ability towards possibility and permission, leaving can and be able to to carry the ability sense. The month name May has a completely separate origin — Latin Maius, named after Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and spring — and shares no etymological link with the modal verb.
As a modal verb, may does not change form: there is no mays, mayed, or maying. It is always followed by a bare infinitive (without to). In formal and written British English, may is the preferred modal for polite permission requests and for hedging statements in academic prose.
Understanding may is essential for IELTS, Cambridge exams, and professional communication, where using the correct modal demonstrates a strong command of register and nuance.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| You may use a dictionary during the reading comprehension test. | A2 — giving permission |
| It may be cold tomorrow, so bring a jacket. | B1 — expressing possibility |
| May I ask you a question about the homework? | B1 — polite request for permission |
| The results may have been affected by the limited sample size. | B2 — past possibility (academic hedging) |
| Whilst the findings are promising, they may not be generalisable to all populations. | C1 — formal written hedging |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| may well | She may well be right about the deadline. |
| may not | You may not use your phone during the exam. |
| may have + past participle | He may have forgotten about the meeting. |
| may I | May I come in, please? |
| this may be | This may be the most important decision you make. |
| may also | Learners may also benefit from reading aloud. |
| as the case may be | You will pass or fail, as the case may be. |
| come what may | I will support you come what may. |
| may or may not | The policy may or may not apply to your situation. |
| in May | The conference takes place in May every year. |
Usage Notes
Key Points for Learners
- Possibility vs permission: Context makes the meaning clear. "You may leave" grants permission; "They may leave early" expresses possibility.
- Formal register: May is more formal than can for permission. In academic writing, formal letters, and exams, prefer may.
- Bare infinitive: Always use may + base verb without to: "may go", not "may to go".
- Negative form: May not (two words) — unlike can't or won't, mayn't is rare and archaic. Use may not in full.
- Past possibility: Use may have + past participle: "She may have left already."
- Academic hedging: In reports and essays, may softens claims and avoids overstatement, which is a valued academic writing skill.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
You may to use a dictionary. (modal + to-infinitive)
You may use a dictionary. (modal + bare infinitive)
It mays rain this afternoon. (modal verb never takes -s)
It may rain this afternoon.
She mayed leave early yesterday. (modal verb has no past tense form)
She may have left early yesterday. (use may have + past participle)
Can I borrow your pen? (acceptable informally, but less polite in formal contexts)
May I borrow your pen? (preferred in formal and exam English)