Мы используем may и might, когда говорим о возможных действиях и событиях в будущем:

• I haven’t decided yet where to go for my holidays. I may go to Ireland. (= возможно, я туда поеду)
• Take an umbrella with you. It might rain later. (= возможно, пойдет дождь)
• The bus isn’t always on time. We might have to wait a few minutes. (= возможно, нам придется подождать)

Отрицательными формами являются may not и might not (mightn’t):

• Liz may not go out tonight. She isn’t feeling well. (= возможно, она никуда не пойдет)
• There might not be enough time to discuss everything at the meeting. (= возможно, не будет достаточно времени)

Сравните will и may/might:

• I’ll be late this evening. (точно)
• I may/might be late this evening. (возможно)

Как правило, вы можете использовать как may, так и might:

• I may go to Ireland. или I might go to Ireland.
• Jane might be able to help you. или Jane may be able to help you.

Но, когда ситуация не реальная, мы используем только might (не may):

• If I were in Tom’s position, I might look for another job.

Ситуация здесь не реальная, потому что я не на месте Тома (поэтому я не буду искать другую работу). May в таких случаях не используется.

Модальные глаголы may и might также можно употреблять и в форме continuous: may/might be -ing. Сравните с will be -ing:

• Don’t phone at 8.30. I’ll be watching the film on television.
• Don’t phone at 8.30. I might be watching (или I may be watching) the film on television. (= возможно, я буду смотреть фильм)

Мы также используем may/might be -ing, говоря о возможных планах. Сравните:

• I’m going to Ireland in July. (точно)
• I may be going (или I might be going) to Ireland in July. (возможно)

Но вы также можете сказать ‘I may go (или I might go) ...’. Разница незначительна.

Might as well – почему бы не сделать этого

Роуз и Клер только что опоздали на автобус. А автобусы ходят раз в час.

— What shall we do? Shall we walk? (Пойдем пешком?)
— We might as well. (Почему бы и нет.) It’s a nice day and I don’t want to wait here for an hour.

We might as well do something = Мы должны это сделать, т.к. лучше вариантов нет. Нет причин, почему бы не сделать этого.

May as well тоже возможно в этом случае.

• A: What time are you going out?
  B: Well, I’m ready, so I might as well go now.
• Buses are so expensive these days, you may as well get a taxi. (= такси стоит примерно столько же)

Упражнения

1. Напишите предложения с might.

1. Where are you going for your holidays?
   I haven’t decided yet. (to Ireland???)
   
2. What sort of car are you going to buy?
   I’m not sure yet. I ... (a Mercedes???)
   
3. What are you doing this weekend?
   I haven’t decided yet. (go to London???)
   
4. When is Tom coming to see us?
   He hasn’t said yet. (on Saturday???)
   
5. Where are you going to hang that picture?
   I haven’t made up my mind yet. (in the dining room???)
   
6. What is Julia going to do when she leaves school?
   She’s still thinking about it. (go to university???)
   

2. Закончите предложения, используя might + следующие слова:

bite break need rain slip wake

1. Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It later.
2. Don’t make too much noise. You the baby.
3. Be careful of that dog. It you.
4. I don’t think we should throw that letter away. We it later.
5. Be careful. The footpath is very icy. You .
6. Don’t let the children play in this room. They something.

3. Закончите предложения, используя might be able to или might have to + подходящий глагол.

1. I can’t help you, but why don’t you ask Jane? She you.
2. I can’t meet you this evening, but I you tomorrow.
3. I’m not working on Saturday, but I on Sunday.
4. I can come to the meeting, but I before the end.

4. Напишите предложения, используя might not.

1. I’m not sure that Liz will come to the party.
   
2. I’m not sure that I’ll go out this evening.
   
3. I’m not sure that we’ll get tickets for the concert.
   
4. I’m not sure that Sue will be able to come out with us this evening.
   

5. Прочитайте ситуации и составьте предложения с might as well.

1. You and a friend have just missed the bus. The buses run every hour. You say: We’ll have to wait an hour for the next bus.
2. You have a free ticket for a concert. You’re not very keen on the concert, but you decide to go. You say: I to the concert. It’s a pity to waste a free ticket.
3. You’ve just painted your kitchen. You still have a lot of paint, so why not paint the bathroom too? You say: We . There’s plenty of paint left.
4. You and a friend are at home. You’re bored. There’s a film on TV starting in a few minutes. You say: . There’s nothing else to do.