Unit 30. May and might (2)

Unit 30. May and might (2)
(использование оборотов may и might 2)

We use may and might to talk about possible actions or happenings in the future:

I haven't decided yet where to spend my holidays. I may go to Ireland. (= perhaps I will go to Ireland)
Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It might rain later. (= perhaps it will rain)
The bus doesn't always come on time. We might have to wait a few minutes. (= perhaps we will have to wait)

The negative forms are may not and might not (mightn't):

Ann may not come to the party tonight. She isn't well. (= perhaps she will not come)
There might not be a meeting on Friday because the director is ill. (= perhaps there will not be a meeting)

Usually it doesn't matter whether you use may or might. So you can say:

I may go to Ireland, or I might go to Ireland.
Jane might be able to help you. or Jane may be able to help you.

But we use only might (not may) when the situation is not real:

If I knew them better, I might invite them to dinner.
(The situation here is not real because I don't know them very well, so I'm not going to invite them. 'May' is not possible in this example.)

There is also a continuous form: may/might be -ing. Compare this with will be -ing:

Don't phone at 8.30. I'll be watching the football on television.
Don't phone at 8.30. I might be watching (or I may be watching) the football on television. (= perhaps I'll be watching it)

For will be -ing see Unit 24. Will be doing and will have done
(использование will be doing и will have done).

We also use may/might be -ing for possible plans. Compare:

I'm going to Ireland in July, (for sure)
I may be going (or I might be going) to Ireland in July. (possible)

But you can also say 'I may go (or I might go) to Ireland…' with little difference of meaning.

Might as well / may as well
Study this example:

Helen and Clare have just missed the bus. The buses run every hour.

What shall we do? Shall we walk?
We might as well. It's a nice day and I don't want to wait here for an hour.

'(We) might as well do something' = (We) should do something because there is nothing better to do and there is no reason not to do it.
You can also say 'may as well'.

A: What time are you going?
B: Well, I'm ready, so I might as well go now. (or …I may as well go now)
The buses are so expensive these days, you might as well get a taxi. (= taxis are just as good, no more expensive)

See Unit 29. May and might (1)
(использование оборотов may и might 1).
See Unit 36. May I … ?
(использование оборотов Can/ Could/ Would you …?).
See Unit 37. If I do … and If I did …
(использование оборотов If I do … и If I did …).
See Unit 39. If I had known … I wish I had known …
(использование оборотов If I had known … и I wish I had known …).

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Unit 30. May and might (2) (использование оборотов may и might 2)

Unit 30. May and might (2)
(использование оборотов may и might 2)