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Jackson6612 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Is 'might' a past tense form of 'may'?
Is 'might' a past tense form of 'may'? I think it is. But it can also be used in present tense form. When it is used in present form, what is difference between its meaning and that of 'may'?
Top answer
Jackson6612 Is 'might' a past tense form of 'may'? It depends on whom you ask. You certainly cannot always use might as a past tense of may but the sequence of tenses requires might in sentences like this: I knew that he might know the answer.
- Jackson6612 Is 'might' a past tense form of 'may'?
- It depends on whom you ask.
- You certainly cannot always use might as a past tense of may but the sequence of tenses requires might in sentences like this: I knew that he might know the answer.
- May and might are modal or defective auxiliaries.
- In many manguages there are no such verbs and might in the above sentence certainly could be translated in the past tense into some other languages.
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Jackson6612Is 'might' a past tense form of 'may'?It depends on whom you ask. You certainly cannot always use might as a past tense of
may but the sequence of tenses requires might in sentences like this: I knew that he might know the answer. May and might are modal or defective auxiliaries. I
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