Maybe – English Grammar Profiler

Maybe I don’t know what I want, 

but at least I don’t run away every time

 there is a problem!

listen

In this sentence, the adverb “maybe” is used to express uncertainty or possibility. The speaker is unsure about what they want, which is why they use “maybe” to indicate this uncertainty. However, they are certain about one thing: they don’t run away when there’s a problem. This contrast between uncertainty and certainty is what gives the sentence its emotional impact. The speaker may be uncertain about many things, but they are sure of their resilience and ability to face problems head-on.

In the English Grammar Profile, in the category of Adverbs as modifiers at A2, a limited range of adverbs includes ‘maybe’ to indicate degrees of certainty. The example given is:

Or maybe we can walk to there because it’s not far from my house.

Also in A2, but in the category of modality and its subcategory of adverbs for the main point of the form: being clause position: ‘maybe’ before a clause or elliptic clause. ► adverbs: position:

Examples are given:

I think I left my phone there, maybe in your kitchen.
Maybe we could visit that park you told me about or play at your house.

Then we find at A1 in the category of adverbs and on FORM: FRONT POSITION

You can bring some music. Maybe we can dance.

Clearly, there is a complexity shift, especially for the ellipted examples (in other clauses).  There is an added conjunction too for the first example, and it is also in the main clause followed by a subordinate clause.  However, the explanations do not make enough of a distinction.

In all three highlighted:

maybe we can walk

Maybe we could visit

Maybe we can dance

“Maybe” is before a clause and indicates possibility or certainty.  The most interesting point is that they are all followed by more modality (beside the point here).

Since it is unclear from these 3 whether to classify future examples as A1 or A2, as usual, we can turn to the English Vocabulary Profile which locates its corpus examples as A2:

A2 possibly Cambridge Learner Corpus Learner example:

Maybe I forgot it [in] your room.