May + have + P.P.

[Crazy]

Hi,

please help me understand when to use may/might+have+P.P.

I kindly request to please explain with some examples.

[Jamie (K)]

We need examples from you first, so that we know what you're talking about.

[Crazy]

Hello Jamie (K),

Suppose I go to meet my friend & I find that he is not at his home, I think it is possible that he has gone to watch a movie. Now I want to tell you all this. Should I say this as following?

“My friend is not at home He may have gone to watch a movie”

1) Please tell me if this is correct.
2) When should I use “might” in this sentence?
3) Will there be any change in sentence if what I am reporting (my visit) happened today or two months back?

Please help.


.

[Jamie (K)]

In the first place, you're not talking about "may" + "have" + a prepositional phrase. You're talking about "may" + "have" + infinitive. I thought there was something wrong, because I couldn't think up a sentence with "may have" followed by a prepositional phrase.

1) Your sentence is wrong because it is really two sentences, and you didn't separate them with a period. In fact, you don't have a period at the end either.
2) You can use "might" if you are even less sure that he went to the movies.
3) No change.

[Crazy]

Hi jamie(k),

Thanks for replying. I am sorry for the mistakes in my question; I am yet to learn punctuation. But I did not understand following.

"you're not talking about "may" + "have" + a prepositional phrase. You're talking about "may" + "have" + infinitive. I thought there was something wrong, because I couldn't think up a sentence with "may have" followed by a prepositional phrase."

Please help me realize my mistake, so that I can learn.

I kindly request you to please reply.

[Jamie (K)]

The word "to" in those expressions is not a preposition. It's the "to" of the infinitive form of a verb.

[Crazy]

Hello Jamie(k),

Thanks a lot.As a native speaker,How would you say this sentence? “My friend is not at home He may have gone to watch a movie”

[Jamie (K)]

My friend isn't home. He may have gone to a movie.

[Crazy]

Thank you very much,I have understood it now.I am grateful to you for your help.