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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

May Modal Verb: Meaning, Usage & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：indicate possibility (may)

may 🔊

/meɪ/

modal v.

It's used when something might happen or could be true, but we're not 100% sure.

Person looking at partly cloudy sky expressing possibility with may

indicate possibility 🔊

➕

/ˈɪndɪkeɪt ˌpɒsəˈbɪləti/

modal v.

Used to express that something is possible or likely, but not certain.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'mæg' (to be able).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'May' as a month of uncertainty—things may happen or may not.

📖 Example

Before you go out, check the sky. It may rain this afternoon. 🔊 Before you go out, check the sky. It may rain this afternoon.

🔗 Collocations

may well – used to emphasize possibility

may be – possibly is

may have – used for past possibility

🔄 Synonyms

might (modal v.) – indicates a lower probability than may

could (modal v.) – indicates past ability or possibility, often less certain

possibly (adv.) – adverb meaning perhaps, often used with may

🚫 Antonyms

certainly (adv.) – indicates complete certainty, opposite of possibility

must (modal v.) – indicates strong probability or obligation, not mere possibility

cannot (modal v.) – indicates impossibility

🌱 Derivatives

maybe (adv.) – perhaps, possibly

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Proto-Germanic *magana, related to Dutch 'mogen' and German 'mögen'. In Old English, it expressed ability; later evolved to express possibility and permission.

Meaning 2：ask for permission (may)

may 🔊

/meɪ/

modal v.

It's used to ask for or give permission politely.

Student raising hand asking permission from teacher using may

ask for permission 🔊

➕

/æsk fɔːr pərˈmɪʃən/

modal v.

Used to politely request or grant permission to do something.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

May I borrow your pencil for a moment? I seem to have forgotten mine. 🔊 May I borrow your pencil for a moment? I seem to have forgotten mine.

🔗 Collocations

May I... – used to ask permission

You may... – used to give permission

may I ask – polite request for information

🔄 Synonyms

can (modal v.) – informal permission equivalent

could (modal v.) – more polite or tentative permission

might (modal v.) – very formal permission request

🚫 Antonyms

must not (modal phrase) – indicates prohibition

cannot (modal v.) – refusal of permission

🌱 Derivatives

maybe (adv.) – perhaps