MODAL VERBS: MAY AND MIGHT

Meaning May

May mean power in the context of probability or have permission, the
modal verb 'may' is used to express a degree of probability of an action or
certainty to indicate future possibilities.
It may rain today ---------------- It means it could perhaps be that.
I think may be pregnant-------- May mean power in the context of
probability
May I help you?----------------It is used to formally request permission

May Verb Gramar

May is a modal verb with can, must, etc.. This means that usually
accompanied by other verbs that complete the meaning of the sentence to
complete its meaning:
For example: You may be right
Affirmative Form

We may stay here for the night.
Jack may be telling the truth.
I may visit Susan on Monday.
That may be a good idea.

Negative Form
Mr. Johnson may not remember anything.
You may not leave the classroom without permission.
I may not come next week.

Interrogative Form
May I go to the bathroom?
May you take this to Mr. Richards?
The conjugation of may is very special you can conjugated in present
simple, as a special feature to may, as well as other modal verbs, you can
not add an-s in the third person singular.

CONJUGATION
I may
You may
He/She may
We may
You may
They may

To indicate possibility in the past use the structure:
MAY+HAVE+PAST PARTICIPLE
It is a construct for expressing verb past may. The past in may exists (it
might) but is ambiguous so that is not used much in the sense of the past.
So it is necessary to use the above structure. Examples:
He may have come from
She may have finished her homework yesterday
They may havent known that.
I may have forgotten to lock the door.

Meaning Might

Sometimes represents the past of "may". Other times it can be used with
the present or can have its own meaning. Let's examine it.

The modal verb 'Might' weak express probability or possibility. It is used
when we mean a possibility or present or future, and the verb which
follows is infinitive. Also we can use it in a form more polite than may.

Might is also the past subjunctive of may. Because of this, in some cases
these aren't interchangeable; if you're using the subjunctive to form a
feeling of coinditionality, may is rather inappropriate. For example, "If you
were the King, then you might be able to do that."

Affirmative Form
He might be at home
I think you might show less surprise!
You might give me one apple!


Negative Form

He might not be there
Mr. Johnson might not remember anything.
You might not leave the classroom without permission.
I might not come next week.
Interrogative Form
Might I have the sauce?
Might I suggest that we -leave early?

The use and the way to construct the sentences with the modal verb might
is the same that we use "may" so you will not need to memorize some kind
of rule of construction.
IMPORTANT!!!
1) Use "may" instead of Might
-if it is likely to do something, for example:
I may go to the cinema
-if you talking about permission, for example:
-you may go out with your Friends after lunch
2) Beware is not the same MAY NOT AND MIGHT NOT example:
-I may not go out tonight
Gives the idea that you dont have permission to come out.
-I might not go out tonight
Gives the idea that there are many chances that do not come out tonight
3) In the form of the past it is always used Might have and not May have ()
-He might have gone out last night.
-He might have tried to call while i was out
We also use "might have" when we are or we were referring to something
hypothetical, something that really did not happen