May, Might, Could

May, Might, Could

May should be used to ask/state permission.

Might should be used to indicate a possible world.

Could should be used to refer to the power of someone or something.

You wouldn’t want to say/write, “The woman in the YouTube video could be suggesting that she wants a divorce from her husband.”  Of course, she could be suggesting that.  She could also be suggesting that there is an aardvark in her basement.

The correct formulation would be: “The woman in the YouTube video might be suggesting that she wants a divorce from her husband.”

It would be correct to ask a bartender or bartendress: “May I have a glass of beer?”  Of course, you would be laughed at, but it would be proper English.

“Might I have a glass of beer?” would also be correct.  If you ask the bartender this question, you will be sprayed with beer and thrown out of the bar.

The confusion of “may” and “might” causes disagreeable ambiguities.  For instance: “Schools may not open until September due to the Coronavirus.”

It is possible to interpret this sentence to mean, variously, “Schools are not allowed to open until September due to the Coronavirus” or “Schools will possibly not open until September due to the Coronavirus.”

A way of smoothing the ambiguity would be to write, “Schools might not open until September due to the Coronavirus,” if you mean “Schools will possibly not open until September due to the Coronavirus.”

Joseph Suglia