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Tue 22 Mar, 2011 09:02 am
I wanted to walk away but something wouldn't let me. "What the heck," I thought. "I'm already here. May/Might as well go in."
Upon entering the store, imagine my surprise to find FIFTEEN PEOPLE seated in the room! Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at me.
In the second sentence should I use 'may' or 'might'?
Thanks.
Either one. People are probably more likely to say "Might as well"
@MontereyJack,
"Might" sounds more American West or Southern.
Joe(at least to me)Nation
You would only use May if it can be replaced by Can. So I would use Might.
@Chereb51,
Quote:You would only use May if it can be replaced by Can. So I would use Might.
I don't follow you, Chereb.
@JTT,
May/Might as well go in."
can as well go in
may as well go in
might as well go in
I find your reasoning sound and easy to follow cherub
@dadpad,
Then please do explain it, Dadpad.
From thefreedictionary.com:
Quote: might as well and may as well
a phrase indicating that it is probably better to do something than not to do it. Bill: Should we try to get there for the first showing of the film? Jane: Might as well. Nothing else to do. Andy: May as well leave now. It doesn't matter if we arrive a little bit early. Jane: Why do we always have to be the first to arrive?
See also: might, well
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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you might as well (do something)
there is no reason you should not do something you may as well (do something) Since you have to wait, you might as well sit down and relax.
See also: might, well
Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006. Reproduced with permission.
My, my, would you look at that, "The Cambridge Dictionary of American English". So the Cambridge dons think us rude colonials worthy of study, Who knew.
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