BEANTWORTEN SIE FRAGEN - English

50% GOOD (2 votes)AntworteteSprachfrage
Could , May , Can, Might


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BEANTWORTEN SIE FRAGEN

timbaland31 profile picture timbaland31October 2021
Could you elaborate ?
May i use your phone ?
Can i go to the cinema with my friend ?
He might be late for our monthly meeting

Just a few examples, don’t hesitate if you need more informations
AussieInBg profile picture AussieInBgOctober 2021
A slight rewrite of my answer to a question about the difference between ”might”, ”may” and ”would”. It essentially answers a very similar question which you have asked - about modals used for possibility/probability.

From your specific choice of the modal verbs ”could” ”might”, ”may” and ”can”, I infer that you are looking at their possibility/probability aspects. Also from the nature of your question, I can guess that you are learning or focusing on British English rather than American English. So, in my answer, I’m going to concentrate on British English and the probability/possibility aspects of ”could/might/may/can” while at the same time give the general differences between British and American English for these modal verbs.

”could” is less stronger than ”might/may”, perhaps 30% or less chance. It is more pessimistic than ”might/may” e.g. ”I could go to the cinema next week” = more likely than not, I am not at the cinema next week to see the film. I am not hopeful about this.

might/may has something like a 50-70% chance of happening, e.g. ”I might/may go to the cinema next week” = there is a high probability that I go to the cinema next week, but it is not certain.

Usage differs between British and American English. ”might” is much more common in British English and ”may” in American. However, ”may” still does get used in British English in part to describe probability/possibility whereas ”might” is much less commonly used like that in American English generally.

”can” is stronger than ”might/may”, but weaker than ”would”, perhaps about an 80% chance of something happening, e.g. ”I can go to the cinema next week” = it’s very certain that I see the film, but still there is a small possibility that something happens and I am not able to do that.

”would” as a probability/possibility is used in British English to show that something is highly certain, but not 100% certain, better than perhaps a 90% chance, e.g. ”I think I would go to the cinema next week” = ”I think that it is 90% or more certain that next week, I see a film at the cinema.”

Americans rarely, if ever, use ”would” like that.

There are three other modal verbs used for probability/possibility not on your list - ”could”, ”can” and ”will”.

”will” in British English is almost 100%, but not quite and is stronger than ”would”, e.g. ”I will go to the cinema next week” = almost completely certain but a tiny chance it won’t happen.

In American English, ”will” = 100% chance or completely certain. In British English, for that you use ”I am going to the cinema next week”.

So, in British English, going from weakest -> strongest probability/possibility, it’s:

could - might/may - can - would - will - ”am going to”

In American English, it’s:

could - may - can - will

I’ve mentioned that ”may” is sometimes used in British English for probability/possibility. It’s generally used like that in British English when there is also permission involved, e.g. ”I may go to the cinema next week” = it is likely that I go to the cinema, but only if my mum allows me.

Americans use ”may” just to describe the probability/possibility.

All the above is a little simplified, but enough I think for your level of English and to properly answer your question smile.gif

”could”, ”may”, ”might” and ”can” are used in many other aspects, such as ”may” for permission as I had mentioned or ”can” for ability. However, I think I’ve given you enough already! You’ll see a lot of modal verbs and how they are used in English if you study in decent courses which cover modal verbs properly.
gps_total profile picture gps_totalSeptember 2021
hi