Cách sử dụng May và Might trong tiếng Anh
May, Might (có thể, có lẽ) được dùng để diễn đạt điều gì đó có thể là thật hoặc có khả năng xảy ra. Cách dùng và sự khác biệt giữa May và Might sẽ được phân tích trong bài viết này.
1. Diễn đạt sự việc có thật hoặc có thể xảy ra ở hiện tại/ tương lai
Cấu trúc: S + may/might + Vinf
Eg: It may/ might be a bomb. (Có thể có một quả bom.)
Lưu ý: Trong cách dùng này, Might không phải quá khứ của May, mà May có tính chắc chắn nhiều hơn Might.
2. Diễn đạt sự việc có thể đang xảy ra ở hiện tại/ tương lai
Cấu trúc: S + may/ might + be + Ving
Eg: Malcolm isn’t in his office. He may/ might be working at home today.
(Malcolm không có ở văn phòng. Có thể là hôm nay anh ấy đang làm ở nhà.)
3. Diễn đạt sự xin phép
Cấu trúc phổ biến:
| May I ……………? |
May I close the window? (Tôi đóng cửa sổ có được không?) |
| I wonder if I might ……………… |
I wonder if I might have a little more cheese. (Tôi tự hỏi liệu tôi có thể có thêm chút phô mai nữa được không?) |
Lưu ý:
– May/ Might có tính trang trọng, lễ phép hơn Can/ Could.
– Might ít được dùng trong văn nói
4. May được dùng để chỉ sự cho phép; May not được dùng để từ chối lời xin phép
Eg:
– May/ Might I borrow your car? (Tôi mượn ô tô của bạn có được không?)
– Yes, of course you may./ No, I’m afraid you may not.
(Dĩ nhiên là có thể rồi./ Không, tôi e là không được đâu.)
5. Bài tập May, Might
Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with might or might not
0. I am still not sure where to go for my holiday. I might go to Da Lat.
1. The weather is not very good. It _____ rain this afternoon.
2. There _____ be a meeting on Friday because the teacher is ill.
3. Ann _____ come to the party tonight because she is busy.
4. Phong is thinking about what he will do on Sunday. He _____ go to a judo club or he _____ stay at home and study English.
1. might
2. might not
3. might not
4. might – might
Exercise 2. Read the situation and make sentences from the words in brackets. Use might.
0. I can’t find Jeff anywhere. I wonder where he is.
a. (he/ go/ shopping) He might have gone shopping.
b. (he/ play/ tennis) He might be playing tennis.
1. I’m looking for Sarah. Do you know where she is?
a. (she/ watch/ TV/ in her room) …………………….
b. (she/ go/ out) …………………….
2. I can’t find my umbrella. Have you seen it?
a. (it/ be/ in the car) ……………………
b. (you/ leave/ in the restaurant last night) ………………
3. Why didn’t Dave answer the doorbell? I’m sure he was at home at the time.
a. (he/ go/ to bed early) …………………….
b. (he/ not/ hear/ the doorbell) …………………….
c. (he/ be/ in the shower) ……………………
1.
a. She might be watching TV in her room
b. She might have gone out
2.
a. It might be in the car
b. You might have left it in the restaurant last night
3.
a. He might have gone to bed early
b. He might no have heard the doorbell
c. He might have been in the shower
Exercise 3. Write sentences with might
0. Where are you going for your holidays? (to Ireland)
I haven’t decided yet. I might go to Ireland.
1. What sort of car are you going to buy? (a Mercedes)
I’m not sure yet. I ……………….
2. What are you doing this weekend ? (go to London)
I haven’t decided yet. ………………
3. Where is Tom coming to see us? (on Saturday)
He hasn’t said yet. …………………..
4. Where are you going to hang this picture? (in the dinning room)
I haven’t made up my mind yet. ……………………
5. What’s Julia going to do when she leaves school? (go to university)
She’s still thinking about it. ………………….
2. I might go to London
3. He might come on Saturday
4. I might hang it in the dining room
5. She might go to university
Exercise 4. Write sentences with might not
0. I’m not sure that Liz will come to the party
Liz might not come to the party.
1. I’m not sure that I’ll go out this evening.
I …………………………
2. I’m not sure that we’ll get tickets for the concert.
We …………………………
3. I’m not sure that Sue will be able to come out with us this evening.
Sue …………………………..
1. I might not go out this evening
2. We might no get tickets for the concert
3. Sue might no be able to come out with us this evening
Exercise 5. Complete the sentences using might + the following
bite break need rain slip wake
0. Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It might rain later.
1. Don’t make too much noise. You …. the baby.
2. Be careful of that dog. It …. you
3. I don’t think we should throw that letter away. We …. it later.
4. Be careful. The footpath is very icy. You ………
5. Don’t let the children play in this room. They …. something.
1. might wake
2. might bite
3. might need
4. might slip
5. might break
Exercise 6. Lựa chọn các cụm trong hộp để hoàn thành câu
|
may sign may earn might cook may win might sell may I go might have may I see |
0. There are lots of excellent football players in this team. I think they may win the match.
1. We ………… this house and move to the countryside.
2. Mum,…….. to the school party?
3. Mr. Hung, you …….. here or at the end of the contract.
4. The owner …………. lots of money from this supermarket.
5. She ………… some problems with her family now.
1. might sell
2. may I go
3. may sign
4. may earn
5. might have
Bài tập
Exercise 1. Choose the correct answer.
1. I was just wondering whether you ________ be able to help me.
A. may
B. might
2. ________ God have mercy on your soul.
A. May
B. Might
3. You ________ well be right.
A. may
B. might
4. I told them I ________ go if I felt like it, but wasn’t sure.
A. may
B. might
5. Students ________ only borrow four books at a time.
A. may
B. might
6. The examiner says we ________ leave when we’ve finished.
A. may
B. might
7. It ________ be very expensive, but it’s much better than the others.
A. may
B. might
8. I just ________ accept your offer.
A. may
B. might
9. You ________ try asking her for help- she knows her stuff.
A. may
B. might
10. You ________ have told me earlier!
A. may
B. might
Đáp án:
|
1. B |
2. A |
3. A |
4. B |
5. A |
|
6. A |
7. A |
8. B |
9. B |
10. B |
Exercise 2. Match the meanings with the example sentences.
|
asking for permission: very polite |
giving permission: formal |
|
no permission: formal, emphatic |
a guess about the present |
|
a guess about the present |
a guess about the past |
|
asking for permission: formal |
a guess about the past |
1. I’m not sure but I think my camera MAY BE broken.
2. I don’t know where your gloves are. They MIGHT BE in the kitchen.
3. We’re late. The play MAY HAVE STARTED already.
4. I’m afraid you MIGHT HAVE BROKEN your arm. You need an X-ray.
5. MAY I HAVE your attention, please?
6. MIGHT I HAVE a word in private?
7. You MAY MAKE one telephone call.
8. Boys and girls at this school MAY NOT WEAR jewelry.
Đáp án:
1. a guess about the present
2. a guess about the present
3. a guess about the past
4. a guess about the past
5. asking for permission: formal
6. asking for permission: very polite
7. giving permission: formal
8. no permission: formal, emphatic
Exercise 3. Drag the boxes onto the matching gaps.
|
It may |
might like |
might |
might |
might help |
might motivate |
may not |
Conversation 1:
Man: Will you be in the office on Monday?
Woman: I will. Why?
Man: Do you think you’ll have time to help me?
Woman: I (1) ________. I have a lot to do that day, though.
Man: OK, I will check with you then. I (2) ________ even need you.
Woman: OK, let me know.
Conversation 2:
Woman: Have you seen this? You (3) ________ this.
Man: What is it?
Woman: It’s a watch that counts calories as you walk.
Man: Not sure why I (4) ________ need this.
Woman: Well, you said you are on a diet! It (5) ________ you to walk more.
Man: Yeah, I suppose it (6) ________ me lose weight.
Woman: (7) ________! You never know!
Đáp án:
|
1. might |
2. may not |
3. might like |
4. might |
|
5. might motivate |
6. might help |
7. may |
|
Exercise 4. Write these sentences in a different way using might.
1. Perhaps Helen is in her office.
______________________________________.
2. Perhaps Helen is busy.
______________________________________.
3. Perhaps she is working.
______________________________________.
4. Perhaps she wants to be alone.
______________________________________.
5. Perhaps she was ill yesterday.
______________________________________.
In sentences 9-11 use might not.
9. Perhaps she doesn’t want to see me.
______________________________________.
10. Perhaps she isn’t working today.
______________________________________.
11. Perhaps she wasn’t feeling well yesterday.
______________________________________.
Đáp án:
1. She might be in her office.
2. She might be busy.
3. She might be working.
4. She might want to be alone.
5. She might have been ill yesterday.
9. She might not want to see me.
10. She might not be working today.
11. She might not have been feeling well yesterday.
You can use may instead of might in all these sentences.
Exercise 5. Complete each sentence with a verb in the correct form.
1. ‘Where’s Ben?’ ‘I’m not sure. He might ________ lunch.’
2. ‘Who is that man with Anna?’ ‘I’m not sure. It might ________ her brother.’
3. A: Who was the man we saw with Anna yesterday?
B: I’m not sure. It may ________ her brother.
4. A: What are those people doing by the side of the road?
B: I don’t know. I suppose they might ________ for a bus.
5. ‘Is Sarah here?’ ‘I can’t see her. She may not ________ yet.’
Đáp án:
1. be having
2. be
3. have been
4. be waiting
5. have arrived / have come
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