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What is a Primary Source?
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Affect vs. Effect
10818 Views

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Question Marks
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Want even more deets on Question Marks? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.

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May vs. Might 626 Views


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Transcript

00:04

May versus Might, a la Shmoop. Paula, the cute girl who sits next to you

00:12

in chemistry class, leans over one morning and asks if you're going to Timmy's birthday

00:16

bash on Friday night.

00:18

You'd like to reply using “may” or “might”...

00:20

...but which word do you choose? Decisions, decisions…

00:24

Believe it or not, there is a subtle difference between “may” and “might”.

00:27

Yes, we know they both start with an “m”. There's still a difference.

00:32

Use “may” when you mean that something is likely to happen.

00:36

If you say you may be at Timmy's party on Friday night...

00:40

...you mean you're probably going to be there.

00:41

By the way, if you keep talking to Paula during class, your chemistry teacher may bean you

00:46

in the head with a dry-erase marker.

00:48

Especially if his name is Mr. White. Use “might” when you mean that something

00:54

isn't likely to happen.

00:56

You might win an all-expenses-paid trip to Cozumel for two...

01:00

...and Paula's parents might consent to letting her go with you. Yeah, keep dreaming.

01:05

And that's the rule on “may” and “might”. “May” means something is likely to happen...

01:09

...and “might” means flowers will bloom in hell first.

01:13

See you there, Mr. White…

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