40 Modals of Possibility - May

The verb May belongs to the group of Modal auxiliary verbs. It is used to talk about the possibility for something to happen and also to ask for or give permission.

We usually find this structure in its three forms:

Affirmative

The Affirmative form of the verb May has this structure:
Subject + verb may* + verb.

When we wish to express wish or hope, we change the order of subject and verb. The form is as follows:
May + subject + verb. (e.g. May the force be with you!)

Negative

The Negative form of the verb May has this structure:
Subject + verb may* + not + verb.

Interrogative

The Interrogative form of the verb May has this structure:
Verb may*+ subject + verb + (?).

*The form is always the same, even for the third person.

Affirmative

1. Permission
   • You may pet the rabbit.
   • She may go to the jungle if the forest ranger gives permission.
   • They may travel to the Mediterranean Sea if they graduate this year.
2. Uncertainty/Possibility
   • I’m afraid I may be late because of the ice.
   • Susana may go to the west of Ohio.
   • There may be wild animals in this part of the zoo.
3. Express wish or hope
   • May the master water the garden.
   • May she rest in peace.
   • May we have rain this year.

Negative

• You may not go to the North Pole!
• She may not survive from an earthquake.
• I’m afraid that we may not interview the director because we are not international.

Interrogative

• May I suggest an idea about recycling?
• May people stop contaminating the earth?
• May the biologists find a cure for this disease?
  

May is used mainly to express possibility.

We use May in the Affirmative form when we:

1. Give permission;
2. Are not sure about something;
3. Express wish or hope. (When we invert the sentence in the Affirmative form)

We use May in the Negative form when we prohibit something or when we want to express uncertainty.

We use May in Interrogative form when we want to make a polite request.

We use the modal verb May to talk about the possibility for something to happen and also to ask for or give permission.

• Affirmative: Subject + may+ verb (e.g. I may go.)
  We invert the order of the sentence in order to express wish or hope. The structure is as follows:
  May + subject + verb (e.g. May the force be with you);
• When we use May in its Negative form we prohibit something or express uncertainty.
  Negative: Subject + may + not + verb (e.g. I may not go.);
• When we use May in its Interrogative form we want to make a polite request or ask about the possibility of something to happen.
  Interrogative: May + subject + verb + (?) (e.g. May I go?).

For example:
— “It may snow this winter“. = There is a possibility that it snows this winter.
— “May it snow this winter“. = By inverting the structure in the Affirmative form, we express wishes.
— “It may not snow this winter“. = It is uncertain that it snows this winter.

Let’s revise this content within the [Form] section. Take a look at the [Example] section that shows its use within a context.