Umphreys and Maybe When You Find It All Again
If you want to improve your writing, it doesn't hurt to master some English grammar skills. 1 of the questions a lot of writers asks is how to use the discussion maybe: specifically, when to utilize maybe vs. may be.
Don't worry. You're non alone in thinking that the English language language can have some difficult rules to call back when it comes to grammer and writing.
Today, permit's focus on when to use the word maybe versus the phrase may be to improve your writing.
Here'due south the quick dominion for maybe vs. may be:
The Simple Play a trick on to Maybe vs. May Exist
If y'all can supplant information technology with "potentially," use perhaps. If you tin supersede it with "might be," utilize may be.
If you're interested in knowing WHY this is true, read on!
The Difference Between Possibly and May Be: The 9 Parts of Speech
Peradventure and may exist are both used to hash out possibility. All the same, they are dissimilar, with the main difference between these two words being that they are 2 different parts of speech communication.
Equally you may remember from simple school, in that location are nine different parts of speech:
- Substantive
- Verb
- Adverb
- Describing word
- Preposition
- Commodity
- Interjections
- Pronoun
- Conjunctions
Demand a refresher on these? Check out our full parts of speech guide here.
Simply which lexical category do possibly and may exist fall under?
Perchance Is an Adverb
Maybe is an adverb, which ways information technology needs to modify a verb. Equally an adverb, the word maybe ways possibly.
It's besides a synonym for maybe.
For case:
- Mayhap I'll cook soup for dinner.
- Maybe Jill volition ask Jack out.
- Possibly you lot could cease at Starbucks before coming over?
Also, find how where a word like "might" is non usually used in the beginning of a sentence, the verb "maybe" very well could be—something worth pointing out since many ESL (English Language Learners) mistake maybe for might when first learning American English.
Merely what nigh the discussion may be?
May and Be Are Both Verbs
On the other manus, the phrase "may be" uses two verbs, which tin can work a separate words. This also means that "may" and "be" express a state of being.
Separated, "may" is a modal verb and "be" is a primary or auxiliary verb.
When these word are separated, "may exist" acts a verb phrase that means "could be" or "might be."
Separated, the verb "may" expresses possibility where the verb "be" express a land of being.
As verbs, the phrase "may be" volition always modify a noun. Some example sentences of this are:
- John may exist at the trip the light fantastic toe tonight.
- Heather may be joining united states of america for brunch.
- Courtney may exist belatedly.
The English language uses a lot of chemical compound words like may be, or combines two different verbs that, when placed together, usually convey a different meaning than the verbs do when they stand lonely.
How to Use Perhaps vs. May Be (With Examples)
The tricky fact is that they have similar meanings, which makes it more difficult to distinguish. And then with that in mind, look at the departure between these ii words in context:
Correct:
- Perhaps Deon will be interested in going swing dancing next calendar week.
- Deon may exist interested in going swing dancing tonight.
The first judgement is correct because "peradventure" is modifying the verb "volition exist." If you replaced it with "potentially" it would hateful the same matter, but if yous replaced "may" with "might" information technology wouldn't make sense.
"Might be Deon" only sounds weird, right?
The second sentence is correct because "may be" is referring to the proper noun, "Deon." If you replaced "may" with "might" it would audio normal, "Deon might exist interested…." Sounds skilful, correct? Just if you lot replaced it with "potentially," it would exist weird.
"Deon potentially interested…." Unless y'all're a caveman, that doesn't sound right.
Let's look at some incorrect examples:
Incorrect:
- May exist Shirley will go to tango night with united states.
- Shirley perhaps going to tango night with us.
For the outset sentence, once more try replacing "may be" with "might be" and you'll find it sounds more like Yoda-speak than normal English.
For the second sentence, replacing "maybe" with "potentially" feels weirdly clipped. You'd have to say, "Shirley potentially volition be going…," to brand it piece of work, and even and then, "may be" is much smoother.
Let's await at a few other examples that are right grammar:
Correct:
- Vardy says he may be doing a cha cha performance next week.
- Vardy says he is thinking about possibly doing a cha cha performance next week.
- If Tina goes dancing tomorrow, she may be showing off her new swing skills.
- If Tina goes dancing tomorrow, maybe she can show off her new swing skills.
Are you seeing it now? When to use which?
The Trick to Never Confuse Maybe and May Be Once more
Again, the easiest style to make sure y'all're using these correctly is to replay "maybe" with "potentially" and "may be" with "might exist." If the sentence is still right, y'all're good. If it'due south non, and then you know you demand to change it.
Then there yous accept it. Now you'll never misfile the 2 again! But just to be sure, let's practise the two with a creative writing do.
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Exercise
To practise using maybe and may be correctly, apply the following writing prompt
Write for fifteen minutes about the possibility of something that happens at a Labor Twenty-four hour period cookout. Use may be and perchance accordingly equally frequently equally yous can. Mail your practice in the comments and leave notes for your beau writers.
Joe Bunting
Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris, a real life hazard story set in France. It was a #i New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).
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Source: https://thewritepractice.com/may-be/
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