Uses of May and Might | Eight Variations of May & Might

1^st  Use/Variation :-

                      In first variation, we use may and might to say that something possibly happens in present or will happen in future.

Formulas:

·         Affirmative : Subject+May/Might+Verb(Present form)+Object.

·         Negative      : Subject+Mayn’t/Mightn’t+Verb(Present form)+ Object.

Note :

                      Interrogative and InterroNegative sentences are not made in may and might modals.

Examples:

·         Robert may speak English.

·         Tom might smoke.

·         They mayn’t play with us.

·         I mightn’t tell lie.

·         You may speak ill of us.

·         Robert might praise you.

2^nd Use/Variation:-

               In 2^nd variation, may and might are used when something is possibly happening.

Formulas:

·         Affirmative : Sub+May/Might+be+Verb(Present form+ing/Gerund form)+Obj.

·         Negative   : Sub+Mayn’t/Mightn’t+ be+Verb(Present form+ing/Gerund form)+Obj.

Examples:

·         Robert may be speaking English.

·         They might be smoking.

·         You mayn’t be playing.

·         Tom mightn’t be telling a lie.

·         I may be speaking ill of you.

·         He might be praising you.

3^rd Use/Variation:-

             In 3^rd variation, we use may and might when something has possibly happened or possibly happened in past.

Formulas:

·         Affirmative : Sub+May/Might+have+Verb(Past Participle)+Object.

·         Negative     : Sub+Mayn’t/Mightn’t+have+Verb(Past Participle)+Object.

Examples:

·         Robert may have spoken English.

·         Tom might have smoked.

·         I  mayn’t have played.

·         You mightn’t have told a lie.

·         Robert may have spoken ill of you.

·         He might have praised you.

4^th Use/Variation:-

           In 4^th variation, may and might are used when something was possibly happening.

Formulas:

·         Affirmative : Sub+May/Might+have+been+Verb(Present+ing/Gerund)+Obj.

·         Negative  : Sub+mayn’t/mightn’t+have+been+Verb(Present+ing/Gerund)+Obj.

Examples:

·         Robert may have been speaking English.

·         Tom might have been smoking.

·         He mayn’t have been playing.

·         I mightn’t have been telling a lie.

·         He may have been speaking ill of you.

·         I might have been praising you.

5^th Use/Variation:-

       In  5^th variation, we use may and might to say what a person is possibly be.

Formulas :

·         Affirmative: Sub+may/might+be+compliment.

·         Negative     :Sub+mayn’t/mightn’t+be+compliment.

Examples:

·         Robert may be stubborn.

·         Tom may be sponger.

·         He might be kind.

·         You mayn’t be cuel.

·         He mightn’t be studious.

6^th Use/Variation:-

         In 6^th variation, we use may and might to say what does a person possibly have.

Formulas:

·         Affirmative : Sub+may/might+have+compliment.

·         Negative     : Sub+mayn’t/mightn’t+have+compliment.

Examples:

·         He may have a car.

·         I may have fever.

·         Tom may have stubborn nature.

·         He mightn’t have two brothers.

7^th Use/Variation :-

        In 7^th variation, we use may and might to say what a person possibly has been.( from past to present).

Formulas:-

·         Affirmative : Sub+may/might+have+been+compliment.

·         Negative     : Sub+Mayn’t/mightn’t+have+been+ compliment.

Examples:

·         Robert may have been Stubborn.

·         I may have been sponger.

·         Tom mightn’t have been studious.

8^th Use/Variation:-

        In 8^th variation, may and might are used to say about what a person possibly have had( from past to present).

Formulas:

·         Affirmative : Sub+may/might+have+has+compliment+Since/for.

·         Negative     : Sub+mayn’t/mightn’t+have+had+compliment+ Since/for.

Examples:

·         Robert may have had a car for two months.

·         Tom might have had fever since morning.

·         Robert mayn’t have had stubborn nature since childhood.