May vs Might | Ask Linda! | English Grammar
Channel: ITTT International TEFL & TESOL Training
Date: 2017-01-03

Contrary to popular belief, “may” and “might” are not interchangeable because they have slightly different meanings. “May” refers to a possibility and “might” conveys slightly more uncertainty. In the example “There are dark clouds in the sky. It may rain later” we use “may” because the dark clouds suggest the possibility of rain. In the example “I’m sick but I might come to the party” we use “might” because it is not certain the person will go to the party.


Contrary to popular belief, may and might are not interchangeable as they have slightly different meanings.

‘May’ refers to a possibility and ‘might’ conveys more uncertainty. 

Let’s take a look at some examples:

There are dark clouds in the sky. It may rain later today. 

The dark clouds in the sky indicate a possibility of rain.

I’m sick but I might come to the party. 

In this example, the speaker is does not feel well and he is uncertain about attending the party. So, there is only a slight chance that he might actually go to the party. 

Therefore, always look out for the context and choose the right word based upon the level of possibility. 




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