Learning English

Do you have a minute to spare to learn some English? Dan's going to demonstrate the difference between 'maybe' and 'may be'. Give us 60 seconds and we'll give you the English!

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Maybe vs May be

May
May is used to talk about possibility - and not a very certain one. May is a modal verb. This means that it doesn't change its form for different subject pronouns or to show time. Modal verbs are always followed by a bare infinitive verb.  

• I may be home soon.
• She may call later.

May be
May is always followed by a bare infinitive verb. The bare infinitive form of 'be' is 'be'! 

• She may be at work.
  
• It may be about to rain.

Maybe
Maybe is an adverb with a few different uses. Most commonly, it means  'perhaps' or 'possibly'. When used in this way, maybe goes at the beginning of the sentence. If we use maybe in front of an amount, it can mean 'around' or 'approximately'.

• Maybe she's at work.
• Maybe we'll take a holiday this year.
• This video will be seen by maybe a million people!
  
• I've got maybe five pounds in my pocket.

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