Expressing Possibility – How to Use May, Might, and Could The Right Way

• I might go to the cinema tonight, but I haven’t decided yet.
• She might be sleeping, so don’t call her too late.
• We might visit Dubai next year!

Tip: You can usually swap “may” and “might” without changing the meaning too much. However, “might” often sounds a little less certain.

Compare these two sentences:

• I may go to the party. (There’s a good chance.)
• I might go to the party. (I’m not sure, but it’s possible.)

We can also use these modal verbs to talk about past possibilities. In this case, we use:

• May have + past participle
• Might have + past participle
• Could have + past participle

Examples:

1. She may have forgotten about the meeting. (It’s possible she forgot.)
2. He might have missed the bus. (Maybe he didn’t catch the bus.)
3. They could have arrived earlier if they had left on time. (They had the possibility to arrive earlier.)

Tip: “Might have” and “may have” mean the same thing in the past!