Uses of Must /May/Might

The words “MAY”, “MIGHT” and “MUST” (modals) are very confusing. Many of us aren’t sure when to use which one. In most of the cases we use these words interchangeably. Modals tell us how sure speakers are about what they are saying.

The modal verbs ‘’must’’, ‘’may’’, and ‘’might’’ don’t change according to time and the main verb that follows them is used without the preposition to: May GO, Must GO, Might go, etc.

These modal verbs in sentences themselves play the role of auxiliary verbs:

You can dance.

You might sing.

We may eat.

Must

Must means that the obligation to do something comes from the speaker.

Also, we use the word “must” to expresses various general laws; that is, something needs to be done and to express strict prohibition.

Examples:

You must use your helmet while riding a bike.

I must stop smoking. It’s really bad for my health.

We must pay taxes.

May

We use ‘may’ for asking permission (formally) when used at the beginning of a question.

Secondly, in order to ask or give permission or express a desire, use may.

For example:

Happy birthday! May all your dreams come true!

May I eat with you here?

You may have another chapatti if you want.

Let’s understand with the help of a small conversation!

Yesterday, I went to the home from my office.

There were four people (My family) sitting in the living room. I drank a glass of water and started talking to them. Suddenly I noticed, “ Leena” (my daughter) was not there. I asked, “Where’s leena?”

My father answered, “Oh, she may be completing her home work in her room.”

My wife said, “She might have copied her brother and completed her work.”

My son said, “She informed me she was studding since morning and got tired. So she must be sleeping.”

In this conversation, you can find how “may” changed into “might”.

“May” shows the speaker is not sure in the present moment: “She may be completing her homework.”

“May” changes to might to express a possible state in the past: “She might have copied her brother and completed the home work.”

Finally, must expresses a strong certainty: “She must be sleeping.”

So here we understand:

• We use of ‘must’ for certainty.
• We use ‘may’ for possibility.
• We use ‘might’ for probability.

Might

“Might” is used as the past form of “May”. You should change ‘’May’’ into ‘’might’’ when reporting past direct speech (what someone has said):

For example:

“I may design more dresses.”

She said she might design more dresses.

Did you notice in the above statement?  “May” changed into “Might?

Some more examples:

• She might refuse your invitation.
• We’d better phone tomorrow, they might be eating their dinner now.
• You never know, they might give us a 20% discount.
• I wonder why leela didn’t answer the phone. She might have been asleep.

To practice using the modal verbs must, may and might, do the following exercise and leave your answers in the Comments:

1. You … use my phone if you need it.
2. It … be raining outside.
3. He … have been at work.
4. He who lose today, … win tomorrow.
5. … I visit my friend‘s home?
6. Happy birthday! … you live happily in your whole life.
7. lata …… not eat rotten fruits .
8. Reeta …..listen to his father.
9. Mukul …… wear jacket in summer season.