may not – English Grammar Profiler

In linguistic terms, modality refers to the expression of possibility, necessity, or certainty in a statement. The word “may” is a modal verb that typically indicates possibility or permission. However, in certain contexts, “may” can also express a negative or restrictive sense of possibility.

When “may” is used in a negative context, it suggests uncertainty or doubt about the possibility of something happening. It implies that there is a chance that the event or condition being discussed will not occur or is unlikely to happen. For example:

  1. “It may not rain tomorrow.” – This suggests that there is a possibility that it won’t rain, indicating uncertainty about the occurrence of rain.
  2. “She may not be able to attend the meeting.” – This implies that there is a chance that she won’t be able to attend, expressing doubt or a restriction on her availability.

In both these examples, the negative form of “may” introduces the idea of potential non-occurrence or unlikelihood. It conveys a sense of possibility but with the added notion that the event or condition being described might not happen.

Here are the most common B1 words put into sentences by AI:

Certainly! Here are examples using “may not” with the given vocabulary:

  1. Accept: “The company may not accept late applications for the job position.” “In certain cases, the admissions committee may not accept students without the required qualifications.”
  2. Allow: “The school policy may not allow students to use their cell phones during class.” “The venue may not allow outside food and beverages.”
  3. Appear: “Due to technical difficulties, the image may not appear clearly on the screen.” “The symptoms may not appear immediately after exposure to the virus.”
  4. Apply: “Please note that certain restrictions may apply, and not all applicants may be eligible.” “The discount may not apply to sale items.”
  5. Consider: “The committee may not consider late submissions for the research grant.” “Due to budget constraints, the company may not consider expanding its operations at this time.”
  6. Contain: “The package may not contain all the necessary components for assembly.” “The report may not contain accurate data if the sources are unreliable.”
  7. Display: “Due to a technical glitch, the digital sign may not display the correct time.” “Some browsers may not display certain web elements correctly.”
  8. Exist: “In certain regions, natural resources may not exist in abundance.” “Evidence suggests that life may not exist on other planets within our solar system.”
  9. Experience: “Due to scheduling conflicts, some participants may not experience the full program.” “Individual results may vary, and users may not experience the same benefits.”
  10. Lead: “Failure to follow safety guidelines may not lead to immediate consequences, but it increases the risk.” “Poor communication may not lead to effective collaboration among team members.”
  11. Operate: “During holidays, the public transportation system may not operate on its regular schedule.” “In adverse weather conditions, certain amusement park rides may not operate for safety reasons.”
  12. Perform: “Under extreme temperatures, the electronic device may not perform optimally.” “In the absence of regular maintenance, the car engine may not perform efficiently.”
  13. Produce: “If the necessary ingredients are unavailable, the bakery may not produce certain types of bread.” “Unfavorable weather conditions may not allow the farm to produce a bountiful harvest.”
  14. Provide: “Please be aware that the hotel may not provide complimentary toiletries in every room category.” “In certain situations, the company may not provide refunds for canceled orders.”
  15. Reach: “Due to traffic congestion, the delivery may not reach its destination on time.” “In remote areas, access to high-speed internet may not reach all households.”
  16. Realize: “If proper precautions are not taken, individuals may not realize the potential risks involved.” “Without adequate training, employees may not realize their full potential within the company.”
  17. Recognize: “In dim lighting, facial recognition software may not recognize individuals accurately.” “Some cultures may not recognize certain gestures as polite or respectful.”
  18. Require: “Certain events may not require formal attire, but it is still advisable to dress appropriately.” “In specific circumstances, the software may not require additional system resources.”
  19. Result: “Neglecting regular exercise and a balanced diet may not result in immediate health problems but can have long-term effects.” “Without proper documentation, the application may not result in approval.”
  20. Seem: “At first glance, the solution may not seem feasible, but further analysis may reveal its potential.” “Initial test results may not seem promising, but with adjustments, improvements can be achieved.”
  21. Support: “The device may not support certain file formats, so compatibility should be checked beforehand.” “In some cases, the customer service team may not provide 24/7 support.”
  22. Transfer: “Due to technical issues, the file transfer may not complete successfully.” “If the necessary documentation is not provided, the bank may not allow the transfer of funds.”

PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE:

However, you may not deny that you can not buy happiness

even if you have too much money.

Korean male, level 4 writing class.

An iWeb search for:

may_VM not _V*I

1 MAY NOT KNOW 28529 2 MAY NOT WORK 22681 3 MAY NOT WANT 17165 4 MAY NOT USE 14983

5 MAY NOT SEEM 14478

Further collocates in THE MOVIE CORPUS:

1 IT 52 2  LIKE 37 3  BUT 16 4  MUCH 11

5  NOW 8

Listen, it may not seem like much now, but I managed to get your research files and your original samples.

listen

6 MAY NOT GET 14420 7 MAY NOT NEED 14257 8 MAY NOT MAKE 9378 9 MAY NOT SEE 8695 10 MAY NOT LIKE 8632

11 MAY NOT REALIZE 7804

12 MAY NOT APPLY 6899 13 MAY NOT EXCEED 6541

14 MAY NOT FEEL 5923

15 MAY NOT SOUND 5686

That may not sound like a lot.

16 MAY NOT LOOK 5612 17 MAY NOT TAKE 5304 18 MAY NOT RECEIVE 5162 19 MAY NOT UNDERSTAND 5115 20 MAY NOT COME 4841 21 MAY NOT INCLUDE 4732 22 MAY NOT PROVIDE 4502 23 MAY NOT AGREE 4380 24 MAY NOT REQUIRE 4158 25 MAY NOT THINK 4112 26 MAY NOT APPEAR 4099 27 MAY NOT FIND 4046 28 MAY NOT FIT 3635 29 MAY NOT SHOW 3494 30 MAY NOT HAPPEN 3416 31 MAY NOT REFLECT 3296 32 MAY NOT GIVE 3246 33 MAY NOT NOTICE 3132 34 MAY NOT GO 3128 35 MAY NOT ALLOW 3075 36 MAY NOT HELP 3028 37 MAY NOT CONTAIN 2887 38 MAY NOT OFFER 2534 39 MAY NOT MATCH 2507 40 MAY NOT MEET 2487 41 MAY NOT LAST 2321 42 MAY NOT CHANGE 2303 43 MAY NOT EXIST 2279 44 MAY NOT COVER 2266 45 MAY NOT HOLD 2261 46 MAY NOT MATTER 2234 47 MAY NOT OCCUR 2082 48 MAY NOT MEAN 1993 49 MAY NOT ACCEPT 1986 50 MAY NOT FUNCTION 1970 51 MAY NOT REMEMBER 1887 52 MAY NOT CAUSE 1871 53 MAY NOT ASSIGN 1858 54 MAY NOT RECOGNIZE 1856 55 MAY NOT CARE 1792 56 MAY NOT BELIEVE 1761 57 MAY NOT SUPPORT 1714 58 MAY NOT QUALIFY 1677 59 MAY NOT SELL 1672 60 MAY NOT PAY 1668 61 MAY NOT COPY 1624 62 MAY NOT ENTER 1582 63 MAY NOT REPRESENT 1582 64 MAY NOT RETURN 1472 65 MAY NOT BECOME 1464 66 MAY NOT PARTICIPATE 1461 67 MAY NOT TRANSFER 1458 68 MAY NOT AFFECT 1456 69 MAY NOT CONSIDER 1436 70 MAY NOT SHARE 1419 71 MAY NOT PLAY 1407 72 MAY NOT PRODUCE 1402 73 MAY NOT SUIT 1366 74 MAY NOT WISH 1359 75 MAY NOT END 1345 76 MAY NOT SURVIVE 1330 77 MAY NOT REALISE 1326 78 MAY NOT RESPOND 1323 79 MAY NOT ADD 1305 80 MAY NOT RESULT 1300 81 MAY NOT REACH 1299 82 MAY NOT BRING 1261 83 MAY NOT DISPLAY 1235 84 MAY NOT EXPERIENCE 1181 85 MAY NOT MODIFY 1174 86 MAY NOT RUN 1166 87 MAY NOT PERFORM 1106 88 MAY NOT LEAVE 1090 89 MAY NOT APPEAL 1084 90 MAY NOT START 1057 91 MAY NOT REMOVE 1044 92 MAY NOT LIVE 1034 93 MAY NOT SERVE 1031 94 MAY NOT HEAR 1017 95 MAY NOT APPRECIATE 1006 96 MAY NOT CARRY 999 97 MAY NOT LEAD 989 98 MAY NOT TURN 983 99 MAY NOT OPERATE 965

100 MAY NOT ENJOY 959

A2:
add, agree, become, believe, bring, care, copy, cover, enter, fit, happen, hold, include,

match, matter, mean, notice, offer, receive, return, sell, serve, share, sound, suit, turn, wish B1:

accept, allow, appear, apply, consider, contain, display, exist, experience, lead, operate,

perform, produce, provide, reach, realize, recognize, remove, require, result, seem, support, transfer