G004_｟may - Possibility｠ Basic principles of grammar 【Tambaboon English Grammar Lab】 英文法 英語

Example sentence
--------------------------
That may be the best we can do at this stage.
この際、それが最良の道かもしれない..


English grammatical rules
--------------------------
May is a modal auxiliary verb. 


Uses

May is used to talk about possibility, 
and to ask for and give permission.

It may rain this afternoon.

Possibility

May is used to talk about the chances of something happening.

• I think it is going to rain. You may be right.
• There may be a strike next week.
• Where is Bob? He may be out shopping.

May well is used to suggest a strong possibility.

• I think it is going to rain. You may well be right.

May is not normally used in direct questions about probability.

• Are they likely to help us? (BUT NOT May they help us?)

But note that may is possible in indirect questions about probability.

• May we not be making a big mistake?

日本語解説
--------------------------
助動詞「may（～かもしれない）」

may は
「～かもしれない」
という意味を付け加えることのできる助動詞です。

否定文で
「～しないかもしれない」
と言いたいときには 
may not とします。

• He may be right.
• 彼が正しいのかもしれない。

• It may be true.
• それは本当かもしれない。

• It may rain in the evening.
• 夕方には雨が降るかもしれない。

• She may be under 40.
• 彼女は40歳以下かもしれない。

• He may not come.
• 彼は来ないかもしれない。

• He may look young but he's actually 45.
• 彼は見かけは若いかもしれないが、実際は45歳だ。

• Well, you may be wrong.
• さあ、君が間違ってるかもしれないよ。

----------------------

TAMbaboon official site

TAMbaboon IELTS Lab
TAMbaboon YouTube channel
TAMbaboon ameblo