Page 168 - Nidalist
P. 168
Possibility “MIGHT” WITH UNCERTAINTY
Other phrases can be
added to sentences
Modal verbs can be used to talk about possibility, or to See also: with “might” to
express uncertainty. “Might” is the most common modal Present simple 1 Infinitives and participles 51 emphasize uncertainty
verb used for this purpose. Modal verbs 56 about something.
“MIGHT” FOR POSSIBILITY
“Might” can be added to different phrases to
refer to past, present, or future possibilities.
PAST POSSIBILITY
PAST POSSIBILITY “MIGHT” + “HAVE” + PAST PARTICIPLE As well as “might,” other modal verbs
can be used to talk about something
that possibly happened in the past.
PRESENT POSSIBILITY
“MIGHT” + BASE FORM
These constructions can be used to
talk about some thing that possibly
FUTURE POSSIBILITY “MIGHT” + “BASE FORM” + FUTURE TIME did not happen in the past.
FURTHER EXAMPLES
TIP
Questions with “might” “Could not” can only be used
are only used in very when the speaker is certain that
formal English. something did not happen.
“Not” always comes after
“might” to form the negative.
166 167
166-167_Unit_62_Possibility.indd 166 22/07/2016 16:23 166-167_Unit_62_Possibility.indd 167 08/08/2016 15:45