[Grammar in Use] Unit 29

May and might 1

You are looking for Ben. Nobody is sure where he is, but you get some suggestions.
너는 벤을 찾고있는중이다. 아무도 그가 어딨는지 모르지만, 당신은 몇가지 제안을 얻었다.

We use may or might to say that something is possible.
우리는 may나 might를 어떤것이 가능한것을 말할때 사용.
Usually you can use may or might, so you can say.
보통 우리는 다음과 같은 상황에서 사용할 수 있다.
예문) 해석참고용

• It may be true. or It might be sure. (= perhaps it is true)
  그건 맞는것 같다. or 당연한것 같은데.
• She might know. or She may know.
  그녀는 아는것 같아.

The negative forms are may not and might not (or mightn't)
예문) 해석참고용

• It may not be true. (= perhaps it isn't true)
  그건 맞지 않는것 같다.
• She might not work here any more. (= perhaps she doesn't work here)
  그녀는 여기서 더이상 일하지 않는것 같아.

For the past we use may have (done) or might have (done)
예문) 해석참고용

• A: I wonder why Kate didn't answer her phone.
  A: 나는 케이트가 왜 그녀의 전화에 대답을 안했는지 모르겠어.
• B: She may have been asleep. (= perhaps she was asleep)
  B: 그녀는 자고 있었을것 같아.
• A: I can't find my phone anywhere.
  A: 내 폰을 어디에도 찾을 수 없어.
• B: You might have left it at work. (= perhaps she was asleep)
  B: 너는 일터에 두고온것 같아.
• A: Why wasn't Amy at the meeting yesterday?
  A: 왜 아미는 어제 오지 않았어?
• B: She might not have known about it. (= perhaps he wasn't feeling well)
  B: 그녀는 아마도 그것에 대하여 몰랐던것 같아.

Could is similar to may and might.
예문) 해석참고용

• It's a strange story, but it could be true. (= it is possible that it's true)
  그건 이상한 이야기야, 하지만 사실인것 같다.
• You could have left your phone at work. (= it's possible that you left it there)
  너는 일터에 폰을 두고온것 같아보여.

But couldn't (negative) is different from may not and might not.
couldn't 는 성격이 다르다.
예문) 해석참고용

• Sarah couldn't have got my message. Otherwise she would have replied.
  (= It is not possible that she got my message)
  사라는 내 메시지를 받지 못한것 같아. 그게 아니라면 그녀는 답변을 했을거야.
• I wonder why Sarah hasn't replied to my message. I suppose she might not have got it.
  (= It's possible that she didn't get it - so perhaps she did, perhaps she didn't)
  나는 왜 그녀가 내 메시지에 답당을 하지 않았는지 궁금해. 나는 그녀가 그걸 받지 않았다고 생각해.