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Anupam77 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

May have +past participle Vs might have +past participle

what is the difference between these two statements
he may have given him some help
he might have given him some help
  

Top answer

anupam77 W hat is the difference between these two statements ? H e may have given him some help . H e might have given him some help .

— RandomGuy

  • anupam77 W hat is the difference between these two statements ?
  • H e may have given him some help .
  • H e might have given him some help .
  • There is no difference in meaning .
  • May is slightly more formal.
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4 Answers
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anupam77What is the difference between these two statements?
He may have given him some help.
He might have given him some help
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Aspara GusThere is no difference in meaning.
That is true for many speakers. Confusingly for learners, some of us do feel a difference, particularly in conditional sentences:

If Hitler had not committed suicide, he may have escaped to South America.

Although one can find quite a few examples of sentences such as this, many of us older
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fivejedjon'May' means to us that there is a present possibility that his escape actually happened
To me, If Hitler had not committed suicide… means that he didn’t do so, which excludes the present possibility that the escape happened. However, your interpretation works for me in If Hitler didn’t commit suicide (= if this is a fact), he
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Aspara GusTo me, If Hitler had not committed suicide… means that he didn’t do so, which excludes the present possibility that the escape happened
That is why those of us who feel the difference would not use 'may' there. We think it's just wrong.
Aspara Gus However, your interpretation works for me in If Hitler didn’t commit suicide (=
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