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Guest Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Might and may

0 Is there any distinctions between 'I thought he may have visited there' and 'I thought he might have visited there'? If there is, could you give examples elucidating in tense and other perspectives? 02br
02br
00Thank you. 0-
  

Top answer

0 I would not use the first. "thought" is past; "may" is present. ).

— CalifJim

  • 0 I would not use the first.
  • "thought" is past; "may" is present.
  • ).
  • 02br 02br 00I knew that he would agree.
  • 05002br 00I knew that he will agree.
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6 Answers
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0 I would not use the first. "thought" is past; "may" is present. The most normal and neutral choice after "I thought (that)" and similar phrases in the past tense is "might" (or "could" or "would", etc.), not "may" (or "can" or "will", etc.). 02br
02br
00I knew that he would agree. 05002br
00I knew that he will agree. 02br
02br
00I thoug
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0 I think "may" would be OK in BrE.....but less common, and probably sounding rather formal. 0-
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0 I think I may be more used to using 'may' after 'think'. 02br
02br
00MrP 0-
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0 I think thought may be the past of think! 0-
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0 I may have thought think might have had to have may; but now I think I might have thought think might as well have had might (as well). 0-
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0 But I think the point might have been that we may often be able to use may, not that we might often use might. 0-
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