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 #2 (permalink) Mon Sep 15, 2008 17:25 pm Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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| sureshvemuri wrote: |
Is this the correct usage of MIGHT:
Here, the tense is PAST.
Might + finished
Eg: He might finished that job (Possibly he finished it )
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No. He might finish that job = He has not finished it yet, but it's possible he may in the future.
| sureshvemuri wrote: |
Here, the tense is PAST.
Might + Have + finished
Eg: He might have finished that job,when entered into this room (Possibly he finished it at some time in the past )
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He might have fnished that job before he entered the room. It's possible that he completed the job.
Your use of "when he entered this room" is confusing - it sounds like it happened exactly when he entered, but that doesn't make sense.
| sureshvemuri wrote: |
2. Is this the correct usage:
- I wish he had finished the job.
What i meant is - "How good it is if he already finished the job" |
I wish he had finished the job: He did not finish it, but I wish that he had done so.
I don't understand what you mean by "How good it is if he already finished the job"
It would be great if he has finished the job! = I don't know if he has finished or not, but if he has, that's good news. |
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Barb_D
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| #3 (permalink) Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:07 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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Thank you so much for your answer Barb_D!
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Your use of "when he entered this room" is confusing - it sounds like it happened exactly when he entered, but that doesn't make sense.
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I am sorry, I missed the letter "I" and the sentence should be:
He might have finished that job,when --- I -- entered into this room (Possibly he finished it at some time in the past )
Here, maybe, my question is not clear.
Can i use MIGHT like this:
Question - Francis might finish the job.
Here, my intention is to tell that "Francis already finished the job" (Past tense)
Is this correct?
Thanks,
Suresh |
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Sureshvemuri
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| #4 (permalink) Tue Sep 16, 2008 14:25 pm Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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Hi Suresh
| Quote: |
Question - Francis might finish the job.
Here, my intention is to tell that "Francis already finished the job" (Past tense)
Is this correct? |
No, that sentence (Francis might finish the job) refers to a possible future activity.
To refer to an activity that has possibly already happened in the past, you need to use "might have finished".
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Yankee
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| #5 (permalink) Tue Sep 16, 2008 14:38 pm Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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| Modals are very confusing. Don't be discouraged. |
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Barb_D
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| #6 (permalink) Tue Sep 23, 2008 19:11 pm Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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| Quote: |
| No. He might finish that job = He has not finished it yet, but it's possible he may in the future. |
Hi Barb,
So you mean 'might' can't be use as the past form of 'may'?
Many thanks,
Nessie.
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 Nessie
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| #7 (permalink) Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:28 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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Thank you Yankee, your example cleared my doubt regarding the usage of MIGHT.
And also thank you very much Bard_d, for your good words.
Thanks to all of the folks here at English-test.net forum.
Suresh |
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Sureshvemuri
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| #8 (permalink) Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:16 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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| Quote: |
| I don't understand what you mean by "How good it is if he already finished the job" |
"How good it would be if..."? |
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Molly
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| #9 (permalink) Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:18 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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| Quote: |
| So you mean 'might' can't be use as the past form of 'may'? |
Indeed it can, but what do you think of these?
Q: Has he finished the job?
A: I'm not sure. He may have. I'll go and check.
A: I'm not sure. He might have. I'll go and check.
Which reply would you choose and why? |
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Molly
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| #10 (permalink) Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:16 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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I don't know much, but, i think - may and might - indicate the strongness of the possibility of a thing/action.
Might-- is stronger than - May. |
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Sureshvemuri
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| #11 (permalink) Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:04 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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| sureshvemuri wrote: |
I don't know much, but, i think - may and might - indicate the strongness of the possibility of a thing/action.
Might-- is stronger than - May. |
Many would say it's the opposite. As most, so called, past tense modals indicate a "weaker" (more remote) option, a lot of people feel that "might" follows suit. Still, I've heard a lot of AmEng speakers say that they use "might" as a stronger option. |
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Molly
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| #12 (permalink) Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:08 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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Might and may are nearly exactly the same BUT... yes there is always a but ...
Might can be used for ultimate politeness in a question ... Might I use your telephone please? In this case it could be seen as being more polite than May I use your telephone please?
In the situation of possibility ... might and may are the same ... I may see him tomorrow, or I might see him tomorrow.
The main difference between "may and might" in questioning is that "may" has strong connections with permission ...
For people starting to get accustomed the use of “may and might” I tend to tell then to start by using "may" for permission and "might" for possibility. BUT (yes another but) be open to the fact that you will/may/might (smile) hear both “may” and “might” being used in situations consisting only of possibility.
Answer these questions with "may or might" to see if you understand ...
POLICEMAN: Sorry Sir, you ______ not park there! (permission)
FRIEND: ____ borrow your car today? (permission)
SPEAKING TO A FRIEND: My manager ______ let me finish work early tomorrow. (possibility)
ASKING TO USE THE TOILET: ____ use your toilet please? (permission)
Get the idea?
Now in which ones do you think both may and might can be used and why? |
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HamburgEnglish
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| #13 (permalink) Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:11 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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| Quote: |
| In the situation of possibility ... might and may are the same ... I may see him tomorrow, or I might see him tomorrow. |
For many speakers, they are not the same. For many, might expresses a more distant possibility.
| Quote: |
POLICEMAN: Sorry Sir, you may not park there! (permission)
FRIEND: May/Might I borrow your car today? (permission)
SPEAKING TO A FRIEND: My manager may/might let me finish work early tomorrow. (possibility)
ASKING TO USE THE TOILET: may/might I use your toilet please? (permission) |
May in the first because the speaker has the authority to impose the prohibition, to withold permission.
May or might in any of the others because of levels of politeness or, in the case of #2 and #3 because of the levels of tentativeness or imposition. |
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Molly
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| #14 (permalink) Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:13 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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Correct Molly.
But we need to start somewhere, learners can learn that later (smile) |
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HamburgEnglish
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| #15 (permalink) Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:31 am Correct usage of MIGHT. |
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| HamburgEnglish wrote: |
Correct Molly.
But we need to start somewhere, learners can learn that later (smile) |
Not in my opinion. Many problems appear later due to oversimplified or incorrect explanations in the early stages of learning a language.
I was taught that all full-modals, apart from must, have a proximal and a remote use, even though those words were not used by my teacher. Modals are used in the same way as full-verbs in that each can express closeness or distance in TIME, POSSIBILTY and/or SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS. I think one should begin from there when teaching the basic semantic meaning of all verbs. |
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Molly
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