MAY/MIGHT/TO BE ALLOWED TO

GRAMMAR:
PRESENT: MAY She may be here on time. Future: MAY WILL BE ALLOWED TO She may be here on time. Past: MAY AND MIGHT cannot normally be used that something was possible in the past. Other words have to be used: COULD, WAS/WERE ALLOWED TO. I couldnt think clearly, and I felt hot. Perhaps I was ill. We werent allowed to feed the animals at the zoo. Indirect speech: MAY MI!"T# MI!"T MI!"T. What are you doing at the weekend ! I may go to Scotland " or I #ust mi$ht stay at home.! $nn said that she mi$ht go to Scotland at the weekend, or she mi$ht stay at home. Passive voice: We mi$ht %e a&ked by our teacher for our opinion.

MEANINGS:
1. Posibilit : a. In the present or !uture"#present in!initive$: %e may be on the ne&t bus. %e might not know that we are waiting for him. b. past possibilit "#per!ect in!initive$: 'he dog isn(t here. )an may ha'e taken it with him. %is letter mi$ht ha'e $i'en them the idea. !!! N.B. !!! may and might the di e!en"e MIGHT suggests a smaller chance: I may go to *ondon tomorrow.+perhaps ,-. chance/ 0oe mi$ht come with you. +perhaps 1-. chance/ %. Per&ission: a. as'in( !or per&ission: May I put the '2 on b. (ivin( and re!usin( per&ission: MAY is used to gi3e permission4 May I borrow your car 5es, you may. MAY (OT is used to refuse permission and to forbid Students may not use the staff car park. ). Abilit : Especially in passive constructions: $ fuller description may %e found in 6hapter Se3en. *. &ild co&&ands: 5ou mi$ht post these letters for me. +. persuasive,irritatin( re-uest 5ou mi$ht tell me what she said. .. e/pressions o! reproach 5ou mi$ht ha3e warned us that the bull was dangerous. 0. o!!ers: May I offer you some cakes

1. in 2ishes and hopes: May you both be 3ery happy7 I hope that the young couple may en#oy many years of happiness together. 3. &a ,&i(ht....but It may be a comfortable car, %ut it uses a lot of petrol. +8although it is a comfortable car.../ 14. &a ,&i(ht as 2ell This describes the only thing left to do, something which the speaker is not enthusiastic about. 9obody else is going to turn up now for the lesson, so you may a& well go home. 11. tr as I &a ,&i(ht Try a& I mi$ht, I could not pass my dri3ing test. 1%. I &i(ht have 'no2n #2ould =an idi#m $y %hi"h the &'ea(e! e)'!e&&e& i!#n#"a**y that an a"ti#n %a& ty'i"a* #! &#me#ne e*&e. I mi$ht ha3e known that he would be late.