Many English learners think the adverb maybe has the same meaning as the modal verbs might or may. Since maybe is easier to use, many speakers use it in cases where they should use might or may. However, they don’t always mean exactly the same thing and might confuse the listener.
Which one Should I Use?
| Situation | Might/May | Maybe |
|---|---|---|
| Talking about Plans | You (or someone else) have already made plans to do something, but aren’t 100% sure. | You haven’t made plans yet and are thinking of an idea right now. |
| Possible Outcomes | This is almost always used when speaking logically about possible outcomes, i.e. Don’t drive too fast or you might get into an accident. | If you use maybe with possible outcomes, it sounds like you want them to happen. |
| Guesses and Predictions | You are not sure, but know enough to make a reasonable guess, i.e. If the weather doesn’t change, school may be cancelled. | Use maybe when you have no idea. You can use it for guesses as well, but it sounds a little less confident than might/may. |
Let’s look at some examples so this makes more sense.
Analyze Examples
Example #1: Weekend Plans
John: What are your plans for this weekend?
Amanda:
MaybeTom and Iwillmight go to Chicago. It’s his brother’s birthday.
In this example, Amanda and Tom have a reason to go and she has clearly been thinking about it before this conversation.
Example #2: More Weekend Plans
Diana: Do you have any plans for this weekend?
Mike: Not really.
I mightMaybe I’ll go see that new movie.
Here, Mike clearly hasn’t thought very much about his plans and seems to be thinking of ideas for the first time now. If he had said “I might be going,” it wouldn’t make sense; that would sound like someone had already suggested the idea.
Example #3: Road Trip in the Country
Jessica: Should we stop at the gas station?
Jack: That’s a good idea; it might be a long time before we see another one.
Jack knows that there are not many gas stations in the country, so there is a chance they will run out of gas if they don’t buy some now.
Example #4: Working Hard
Patrick: If we finish our work early today, maybe the boss will let us go home early.
Scarlett: That’s true, but he might just give us more work too.
Going home early is a nice outcome. Patrick probably wants that to happen. Thus, maybe makes sense in the first sentence. (Might/may would be okay here as well.) However, having to do more work is a negative outcome, which means might is a better option.
Example #5 (Guessing About a Co-Worker)
The Boss: It’s only 3 o’clock. Why did Mark go home already?
Mary: His son plays baseball today, so he might be taking him there.
In this case, maybe would be okay, though it would sound less confident.
Practice Conversation
Bella and George are talking about Jim, their coworker who hasn’t been to work in two days.
Bella: Have you spoken with George? He hasn’t come to work in two days and hasn’t called.
George: I tried to call him yesterday but his phone was off. Maybe he’s in jail.
Bella: Jim? In jail? That would never happen. However, he was coughing a lot last week, so he might be in the hospital.
George: Don’t worry too much. Maybe he just lost his phone.
Bella: Well, if he doesn’t contact us, he might get fired.
George: If he gets fired, maybe they’ll give me his job!
Bella: You know that will never happen. However, Betty works very hard, so she might get his job.
George: Maybe she will. Still, he might walk in at any…
Suddenly, Jim appears next to Bella.
Jim: Hey guys! Did you miss me?
Conclusion
Grammar like this is not easy to understand without examples. For that reason, it is a good idea to hear a lot of different sentences using it. Therefore, I suggest you keep practicing it and pay attention when you hear it; you might learn to use it yourself if you hear it often.