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difference between may and might?

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Could you explain to me the difference between may and might ?
Junior Member73
:
may and might. It may rain. It might rain. What’s the difference? Just as could is the past tense of can, might is the past tense of may: We thought we might win the tournament. But might can also be used as a substitute for may to show diminished possibility. Thus, saying We might go to the movies means that the likelihood of going is somewhat less than if you say We may go to the movies. When used to express permission, might has a higher degree of politeness than may. Thus, Might I express my opinion conveys less insistence than May I express my opinion.

-bartleby
Junior Member71
:
As the other poster said, there's time, possibility/likelihood and social relations ("politeness" is a limited concept) involved in choosing which to use.

We thought we might have won. DISTANCE IN TIME (and possibility)

We might go to the beach this weekend. DISTANCE OF POSSIBILITY/LIKELIHOOD

Might I help you, sir? DISTANCE IN SOCIAL RELATIONS

We may win today. CLOSENESS IN TIME (and possibility)

We may go to the beach this weekend. CLOSE POSSIBILITY/LIKELIHOOD

May I help you, sir? CLOSENESS IN SOCIAL RELATIONS
Senior Member3,149
:
See my quotation from Garner in:
He might come. or he may come
Veteran Member11,673
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Anonymous:
Hi

Say if I want to tell my friends that I want to have our weekly meeting at their place this week, will it be more correct to say "It may be better to have the meeting at your place this week"? rather than "It might be better to have the meeting at your place this week"?

Is there a difference between the two?

Regards
:
There is no difference between may and might worth agonizing about. may sounds a bit more formal to my ear. And may cannot be used where a past tense is required in tense matching: I knew I might be late. Not I knew I may be late. In other situations, both are used the same way.
Use the search box and you will find an amazing number of posts on this subject.
CJ
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:
See this thread:

May and Might
or search (top right Search box), say with:
user:CalifJim may might
to see posts by CalifJim on this subject.
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Anonymous:
what is the difference between may and might
Anonymous:
may is present tense.. past tense tense for may is might..
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