may和might
may表示"允许"或"请求"
May I come in? -Yes,do. 我可以进来吗?--请进。
May I borrow you raincoat? 我可以借用你的雨衣吗?
You may go now. 你现在可以走了。
You may ring us up any time during office hours.在办公时间你可以随时给我们打电话。
[注] may表示"允许"的否定形式是must not(不应该,不许可)。如:
May I take this book out of the reading-room? -No,you mustn't. 我可以把这本书拿出阅览室吗? --不行。
may还可表示说话人的猜测,认为某一事情"或许"或"可能"发生
We may call on you this evening.我们也许今天晚上来看你。
She may not go to the concert tonight.今晚她可能不去听音乐会了。
The news may or may not be true. 消息也许是真的,也许不是真的。
[注] may用在感叹句中可表示祝愿,愿望如:
May you succeed.祝你成功。
May you have a pleasant journey.一路平安。
might为may的过去式
The speaker said we might ask him any question.作报告的人说我们可以向他提任何问题。
He said he might go to the Palace Museum on Sunday. 他说他星期天可能去参观故宫博物院。
[注一]night也可代替may,表示现在,但语气较为婉转客气或更加不肯定。如:
He night not come today.今天他也许不来了。
Might I make a suggestion? 我可以提个建议吗?
[注二]might用来表示现在时,还可表示"规劝",如:
You might,pay more attention to spoken English.你要更多地注意英语口语。
You might shut the windows. The wind is blowing so hard outside.关上窗户吧。外面风很大。
may (might)后加动词的完成式
表示对过去的推测,认为某一事情在过去"可能"发生。这里may和might都指过去,不过might较为含蓄委婉或更加不肯定(常用于肯定结构)。如:
Nick may (might) have gone to the library.尼克可能到图书馆去了。
Our manager may (might) have gone to Harbin last weekend.
我们的经理上周末可能已经去哈尔滨了。
She may (might) have missed the plane.她也许没赶上飞机。
[注一] may和might常用在so that和in order that所引导的目的状语从句中(现在英语中还经常用can)。如:
Write is in simple language in order that everybody may understand it. 为了大家都看得懂,你要用简明的文字写。
He died,so that others night 1iye.他为了别人而牺牲了。
[注三] might加动词的完成式,可说明某一事情在过去没有实现并含有"劝告"甚至"责备"的意思。如:
You might have told me earlier.你本来可以早点告诉我的。
You might have been more careful.你本来可以多加小心。