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Keep our language diverse: may and might
13 December 2005
The difference between may and might is being eroded, which is a pity. Americans tend to use may for everything, but this deprives us of some useful nuances. On the whole you should use might for something which could have happened had circumstances been different or which could happen in the future if circumstances promote it. May is normally used for something which could have happened or could happen in the prevailing circumstances. Simplistically, you could say that might is correct with if and may is correct with when or why.
Compare these statements:
a) I don`t know why he is late, he may have missed his train
b) If he had missed his train he might have got too late to meet the client: it`s lucky he caught it!
c) When you get there, you may find that the client has already left.
d) If you miss the train and get late, the client might have left by the
time you arrive
e) In view of the shortage of information, this report may be amended when
we get more data.
f) The analysis in this report might be amended if we were to be provided
with more information.
Another use of may and might is in the context of permission, when might is more tentative than may. For example:
"May I sit down?" he asked. "You may" she replied.
Contrast this prosaic exchange with
"Might I be allowed to know who has been spreading falsehoods about me?"
In reported speech might is almost always to be used because normally the past tense is implied, as in
He asked if he might sit down.
He asked if he might be allowed to know who had been talking about him.
He wanted to know when he might expect a reply.
BUT
He wants to know when he may expect a reply.
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