Page 351 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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may and might (4): may in wishes and hopes
May (but not might) is used in formal expressions of wishes and hopes.
I hope that the young couple may enjoy many years ofhappiness together. Let us pray that peace may soon return to our troubled land.
May often comes at the beginning of the sentence.
May you both be very happy! May God be with you. May the New Year bring you all your heart desires. May size rest in peace. (prayer for a dead person)
may and might (5): may/might ... but
May (and sometimes might) can be used in a discussion rather like although or even if: to say that something is true, but that this makes no difference to the main argument. They are often followed by but.
He may be clever, but he hasn't got much common sense. (= Even if he's clever, he ... OR Although he's clever, he ...)
It may be a comfortable car, but it uses a lot of petrol.
She might have had a lovely VOice when she was younger, but ...
Note that in this structure, may and might can be used to talk about things that are definitely true, not just possible.
You may be my boss, but that doesn't mean you're better than me. may and might (6): may/might as well
This structure is used informally to suggest that one should do something because there is nothing better, nothing more interesting or nothing more useful to do. There is little difference between may and might in this case.
There's nobody interesting to talk to. We may as well go home.
Shall we go and see Fred? - OK, might as well.
Note the difference between may/might as well and had better (see 230). Compare:
We may as well have something to eat.
(= There is nothing more interesting to do.) We'd better have something to eat.
(= We ought to eat; there is a good reason to eat now.)
Might as well is also used to compare one unpleasant situation with another. This holiday isn't much fun. We might just as well be back home. (= Things
wouldn't be any different if we were at home.)
You never listen - I might as well talk to a brick wall.
may and might (7):
requests, suggestions and criticisms
Might is often used in affirmative clauses to make requests and suggestions. You might see ifJohn's free this evening.
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may and might (7): requests, suggestions and criticisms 344
You might try asking your uncle for a job.
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