past tense of 'may'

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Anonymous

#483754 Sat, 01 Mar 08 06:18 PM

Is 'might' the past tense of 'may'? If not, what is their relationship? Is it past form?

Thank you very much.

Anonymous

Ant_222

#483773 Sat, 01 Mar 08 08:14 PM

'Yes, it is the past tense and subjunctive mood of "may".

Ant_222

Joined on Sun, May 21 2006

Podolsk, Russia

Contributing Member (1,410)

Past tenses, Subjunctives, Tenses

Marius Hancu

#483779 Sat, 01 Mar 08 08:38 PM

That's only true in a superficial approach.

Pretty much, they are independent verbs, appearing in all tenses.

See this by Mister Micawber:

Mister Micawber

#42001 Fri, 13 Aug 04 08:36 AM

Hi Deer,

'May' and 'might' are related by psychological or social (but not temporal) distance; they are usually interchangeable. 'Might' is more remote than 'may', but neither normally has a 'past' meaning, except by using the 'have' + -ed form: 'I may/might have left my wallet at home.'

Again, the passive has the same relationship to the active as we saw with 'can/could': the object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb.

-for possibility:

'The police may arrest me tomorrow.'
'The police might arrest me tomorrow.' (considered a slightly more remote possibility than with 'may')
'I may be arrested (by the police) tomorrow.'
'I might be arrested (by the police) tomorrow.'

-for permission:

'May I use the car tonight?'
'Might I use the car tonight?' (the speaker is slightly more remote in status, i.e. is more polite)
'May your garden be photographed (by our horticultural club)?'
'Might your garden be photographed (by our horticultural club)?'

-for wishes ('may' only, and an uncommon usage):

'May you have a Merry Christmas!'
'I hope your son may not be bullied at boarding school next year.'