# He may do it, he might do it **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 12, 2017, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747 "2017-06-12T02:26:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/22 "2017-06-12T18:38:23Z")
In practice, saying that the difference between may and might is the difference between possible and probable is a useless and pointless distinction. I don’t believe that this is used consistently enough to actually constitute a practical difference. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/23 "2017-06-12T19:44:26Z")
Always butters my crumpets when I see a road sign informing me that “BRIDGE MAY BE ICY”. :mad: I’m tutoring an ESL adult. I generally pride myself on having pretty good grammar, but he asks about these sorts of distinctions, and I find it astoundingly difficult to try to explain them. ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/24 "2017-06-13T22:16:50Z")
The two phrases in the OP convey a possibility and for that purpose, are perfectly interchangeable. If there is any sort of significant nuance involved, these phrases alone are not sufficient to express that. In other words, if the “technical” differences between may and might actually matter, then you need to spell that out better than simply using the word you feel is most correct in this simple phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/25 "2017-06-13T22:27:18Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > “He might have done it” = “It was possible for him to do it but he didn’t” > > “He may have done it” = “It was possible for him to do it, but we don’t know whether he did or not”. This has always been my understanding, but I’ve seen so many people use the words differently that I started a [thread asking about it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=427095). ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/26 "2017-06-13T23:25:28Z")
Wow, a ten year old thread. Who woulda thunk? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/27 "2017-06-14T00:00:30Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > This has always been my understanding, but I’ve seen so many people use the words differently that I started a [thread asking about it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=427095). Yeah, in my dialect, there’s no distinction that I can think of like that. “Where’s dad?” “He might have gone to the store” or “he may have gone to the store” ring exactly the same to me in terms of probability. I most likely would say “he might’ve gone to the store,” and , in saying that, I certainly am not at all implying that he didn’t. I mean that that’s my best guess of where he is. ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/28 "2017-06-14T00:47:47Z")
Or, “He must have gone to a store.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/29 "2017-06-14T00:58:12Z")
> [@SigMan](#): > > Or, “He must have gone to a store.” Well, “must have,” to me, indicates a far greater degree of probability/certainty on the speaker’s part. ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/30 "2017-06-14T01:12:44Z")
And there’s, “He could’ve gone to a store.” So many ways to convey the same answer. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/31 "2017-06-14T01:24:03Z")
> [@SigMan](#): > > And there’s, “He could’ve gone to a store.” > > So many ways to convey the same answer. Yeah, that one is probably on the same level as “might” for me. But “must have” is stronger. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/32 "2017-06-14T02:45:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, in my dialect, there’s no distinction that I can think of like that. “Where’s dad?” “He might have gone to the store” or “he may have gone to the store” ring exactly the same to me in terms of probability. I just now found a [cite](http://writingexplained.org/may-vs-might-difference) that claims that “_might_ suggests a lower probability than does _may_.” I’m not entirely convinced about that. But what I did find helpful is where that cite points out that _might_ is the past tense of _may_, so “might” is appropriate in situations where something used to have been a possibility but isn’t anymore. The example given is that you’d say “If John Lennon had not been shot, the Beatles might have gotten back together.” and not “If John Lennon had not been shot, the Beatles may have gotten back together.” The latter sounds wrong to me, but only now do I understand why: it’s a tense agreement error. ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/33 "2017-06-14T02:59:40Z")
Now that’s something to learn, past and present tense of words. Thanks for the tip. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/34 "2017-06-14T03:02:53Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The example given is that you’d say > > “If John Lennon had not been shot, the Beatles might have gotten back together.” > > and not > > “If John Lennon had not been shot, the Beatles may have gotten back together.” > > The latter sounds wrong to me, but only now do I understand why: it’s a tense agreement error. There’s actually an interesting note [here at the Oxford Dictionaries website](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/usage/may-or-might). For the most part, it does indicate that may/might are in practice used interchangeably (when talking about possibility), but it does state the following: > [@](#): > > But there is a distinction between may have and might have in certain contexts. If the truth of a situation is still not known at the time of speaking or writing, either of the two is acceptable: > > By the time you read this, he may have made his decision. > > I think that comment might have offended some people. > > **If the event or situation referred to did not in fact occur, it’s better to use might have:** > > _The draw against Italy might have been a turning point, but it didn’t turn out like that._ I have to say, in that particular construction, there does seem to be a distinction in my dialect, too. I would use “might” in that sense, and not “may.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/35 "2017-06-14T03:11:13Z")
> [@SigMan](#): > > Now that’s something to learn, past and present tense of words. Thanks for the tip. (I should give credit to **PatrickLondon** , who actually did mention this in his post.) ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/36 "2017-06-14T10:13:12Z")
I must have missed it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/37 "2017-06-14T15:48:32Z")
Q: Thoughts on “May as well …” vs “Might as well …”? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/38 "2017-06-14T17:31:45Z")
The Vacivillains of Hesitonia are led by Mayor May Knott. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I just now found a [cite](http://writingexplained.org/may-vs-might-difference) that claims that “_might_ suggests a lower probability than does _may_.” I’m not entirely convinced about that. > > But what I did find helpful is where that cite points out that _might_ is the past tense of _may_, so “might” is appropriate in situations where something used to have been a possibility but isn’t anymore. The example given is that you’d say > > “If John Lennon had not been shot, the Beatles might have gotten back together.” > > and not > > “If John Lennon had not been shot, the Beatles may have gotten back together.” > > The latter sounds wrong to me, but only now do I understand why: it’s a tense agreement error. No, I get the impression that “might have” implied a near certainty of the contrary. _They went to Jackson and may have seen the eclipse._ But when used in conditionals, _If they had not gone to Jackson, they might not have seen the eclipse._ “might” strongly suggests that they did in fact see the eclipse. “May” is generally not used in conditional constructions. “_The Beatles may have gotten back together_” places a large uncertainty on whether they did. “May have” seems to carry “may not have” with it whereas “might have” usually implies “but did not” when used in conditionals (as a stand-alone, it is generally equivalent). And I cannot see “might” as being the past tense of “may” in modern usage. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/39 "2017-06-14T20:58:59Z")
Another distinction: the preterite form of modal verbs can be used for politeness, to “soften” a request. In the following examples, the second verb makes for a more polite request than the first: “[Can/could] you please turn down the radio”; “[Will/would] you go to the bank on your way home?”; “[May/might] I have a moment of your time?” ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/40 "2017-06-14T21:51:20Z")
“Might I have a moment of your time?” doesn’t sound right to me. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747/41 "2017-06-14T21:58:45Z")
> [@SigMan](#): > > “Might I have a moment of your time?” doesn’t sound right to me. [This page](https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/verbs/modal-verbs/may-might-may-have-and-might-have) has a number of examples of this usage, including: Might I ask you a question? Might we just interrupt for a moment? and in the test section: Might I have a word in private? Another common example would be: “might I suggest that you…?” Do all these sound wrong to you? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-may-do-it-he-might-do-it/788747.md?page=3)