May, Might and Could for Possibility and Polite Requests

What are may, might and could? May, might and could are modal verbs. At A2 level, they have two especially useful functions: talking about something that is possible but not certain, and making polite requests or asking for permission. Modal verbs do not change with the subject, so we say I may, she may and they may. The main verb after them stays in its base form. Talking about possibility with may and might Use may or might when you think something is possible but you are not sure. For example, It may rain means rain is possible, and She might come later means her arrival is possible but not certain. At A2 level, you do not need to learn fixed percentages for may and might. Both can express uncertainty, and the choice often depends on context. Using could for possibility Could can also describe a possible situation. In The keys could be in the car, the speaker is suggesting one possible location for the keys. Here, could does not describe past ability. Its meaning is closer to 'it is possible that the keys are in the car.' Making polite requests with could Use Could you ...? when you want another person to do something for you politely. For example, Could you open the window, please? is a polite request. In this use, could is not talking about past ability. It makes the request softer and more polite. Asking for permission with may and could Use May I ...? or Could I ...? when you want permission to do something yourself. May I ...? is often more formal, while Could I ...? is polite and common in many everyday situations. For example, you can ask May I come in? or Could I use your phone? Positive, negative and question forms In a positive sentence, put the modal verb after the subject: She might come. To make it negative, add not directly after the modal: She might not come. In questions, put the modal before the subject: Could you help me? Do not use do or does with these structures.