Lesson 23 may be / maybe
Choose the correct answers:
- It __________ (may be, maybe) snowy tomorrow.
- It __________ (may be, maybe) snowing right now. Open the curtain to take a look!
- __________ (May be, Maybe) it will snow tomorrow.
Explain:
“May be” and “maybe” sound the same, and they both mean “probably” or “perhaps”. However, they are totally different in their grammatical function in sentences.
“may be” (2 words): modal “may” + verb “be” = complete verb of the sentence
“may be + verb-ing (3 words): modal “may” + verb “be + verb-ing” = complete verb of the sentence
“maybe” (one word) is an adverb, and there must be a verb somewhere in the sentence.
- In Sentence #1, “may be” is the complete verb of the sentence, indicating future possibility.
- In Sentence #2, “may be snowing” is the complete verb of the sentence, indicating present possibility.
- In sentence #3, helping verb “will” + verb “snow” = complete verb (will snow). “Maybe” is an adverb. The whole sentence also indicates future possibility.
- Sentence #1 and #3 have a similar meaning.
Review:
- __________ (May be, Maybe) the storm is coming earlier than expected.
- The store __________ (may be, maybe) coming earlier than expected.
- The rain __________ (may be, maybe) good for the lawn.
Answers:
may be; may be; Maybe
Maybe; may be; may be
