第 58 课 · 第 4 阶段: 时态与情态动词
用 “might / may” 表可能
中级Possibility with “might / may”
构成与用法
might/may + 动词 — 有可能但不确定的事
1.形式
might / may + 动词原形——所有主语都一样，不加 -s，不加 to。否定式：might not / may not（may not 几乎从不缩写；mightn't 在英式英语中有，但不常见）。
| 现在 / 将来 | 正在进行 | 过去 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 肯定式 | She might be at home. | She might be sleeping. | She might have left. |
| 否定式 | She may not be at home. | She may not be listening. | She might not have seen it. |
- 正在进行：might / may be + -ing。
- 过去：might / may have + V3——见“情态动词 + have + V3”一课。
- 询问可能性：通常用 Do you think…? 或 Could…?：Do you think it'll rain? Could she be at home? 这类问句不用 may。
不要把 may be（两个词，是动词：She may be late）和 maybe（一个词，意思是“也许”，通常放在句首：Maybe she'll be late）搞混。不能说 “She maybe late”。
2.什么时候用
1. 某事现在可能是真的——是猜测，不是肯定
Lan isn't answering. She might be in a meeting.
阿兰不接电话，她可能在开会。
This may be the wrong address — let me check.
这个地址可能不对——我查一下。
2. 某事将来可能发生
Take a jacket. It might get cold tonight.
带件外套吧，今晚可能会冷。
We might go to Da Lat next month — we haven't decided yet.
我们下个月可能去大叻——还没定。
I may not have time to cook, so let's order food.
我可能没时间做饭，我们叫外卖吧。
3. 某事现在可能正在进行：might / may be + -ing
Don't call now — the baby might be sleeping.
现在别打电话——宝宝可能正在睡觉。
I'm not sure where Tuan is. He may be playing football.
我不确定阿俊在哪儿，他可能在踢足球。
4. 某事可能已经发生了：might / may have + V3
I can't find my keys. I might have left them at work.
我找不到钥匙了，可能落在公司了。
She may not have seen your message.
她可能还没看到你的消息。
3.May、might 还是 could？
表示可能性时，may、might 和 could 在肯定句中意思差不多。May 更正式，常见于书面语和通知；might 在口语中最常用；有人觉得 might 比 may 稍微没那么肯定。
It could rain later, so take an umbrella.
待会儿可能会下雨，带把伞吧。
The flight may be delayed because of the storm.
受暴风雨影响，航班可能会延误。（通知的语气）
- might well / may well / could well = 很有可能：Prices might well go up again next year。
- 不要把两个情态动词连用：用 might be able to，不说 “might can”：I might be able to help you tomorrow。
- May I…? 是请求许可，不是表示可能——见“请求、提议和许可”一课。
4.Might not 还是 can't？
在肯定句中 could ≈ might，但在否定句中两者差别很大。might not / may not = 可能不（还不确定）。can't / couldn't = 绝对不可能——见“推断：must / can't”一课。
| 句子 | 意思 |
|---|---|
| It might / may / could be true. | 可能是真的。 |
| It might not / may not be true. | 可能不是真的。 |
| It can't / couldn't be true. | 我确定不是真的。 |
Hoa might not be at home. She sometimes works late.
阿花可能不在家，她有时候加班到很晚。
Hoa can't be at home. I've just seen her at the gym.
阿花不可能在家，我刚在健身房看见她。
注意意思的顺序：“可能不”= might not（不确定），而“不可能”= can't（确定）。中文这两个词只是字序不同，很容易弄混。只想说“也许不”时，不要用 can't。
5.常见错误
She maybe come to the party.She may come to the party. / Maybe she'll come to the party.
Maybe 是副词，不能代替动词。
It might rains later.It might rain later.
might 后面用动词原形——不加 -s。
We might to visit Hue.We might visit Hue.
might / may 后面不加 to。
I might can help you.I might be able to help you.
两个情态动词不能连用。
The shop might closed today.The shop might be closed today.
Closed 是形容词，所以需要 be。
Lan might be study now.Lan might be studying now.
表示正在进行：might be + -ing。
例句
- Take an umbrella. It might rain later.
- We might not have time to visit the museum.
- Ask Hoa. She might know the answer.
- Take your passport with you. They may ask for ID at the hotel.
