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Usage of "May" and "Might"?



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
The sharks has said that around the lighthouse was deep, therefore the kid was... | Usage of article for "activity"
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Usage of "May" and "Might"? #1 (permalink) Wed Oct 29, 2008 22:37 pm   Usage of "May" and "Might"?
 

Does it mean something different in the following two sentences?

(1) You may fall down.
(2) You might fall down (I know in this sentence, "might" is not the past tense of "may."

I am confused about the usage of these two words:may & might. Please explain.

Thank you very much.
Joyjoy
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Joined: 29 Oct 2008
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Usage of "May" and "Might"? #2 (permalink) Thu Oct 30, 2008 13:58 pm   Usage of "May" and "Might"?
 

.
Here the two words are essentially equivalent. 'Might' is a tentative form of 'may', so #2 makes it slightly less probable, perhaps.
.
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Usage of "May" and "Might"? #3 (permalink) Thu Oct 30, 2008 22:03 pm   Usage of "May" and "Might"?
 

Thank you. Even though I am still confused about the two words, but I really appreciate your answer very much. :)
Joyjoy
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Usage of "May" and "Might"? #4 (permalink) Fri Oct 31, 2008 0:12 am   Usage of "May" and "Might"?
 

.
When they are used to mean 'possibility', Joy, they are essentially interchangeable.
.
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