Could/may/might be my sister, the correct answer, difficult, rain

[Rachel Adams]

If "might" is less certain than "may", are "could" and "might" similar in meaning and in terms of degree of probability in these examples?

1. "That could/may/might be my sister".
2. "This could/may/might be the correct answer".
3. "Finding a job could/may/might be difficult".
4. "It may/might/could rain tomorrow".

I have read a native speaker's opinion that "One doesn't say, "She could be my sister," if the chances are one in a million." But I don't understand what this means.

 

[Tdol]

You're more likely to say she might possibly be my sister if there is a very small chance.

 

[Tarheel]

I think your example sentences are similar in meaning and in terms of degree. (Comparing "might" and "could".)

Let's see what others have to say.

 

[Rachel Adams]

You're more likely to say she might possibly be my sister if there is a very small chance.

So "might" and "may" are used when there is a very small chance and it terms of degree they are similar. "Could" is stronger than both "may" and "might". Right?

 

[emsr2d2]

I promised myself a few months ago that I wouldn't get involved in any more threads about this non-existent "level of probability" that some text books seem to insist exists. However, I find that I can't resist. In most contexts, "could", "might" and "may" suggest much the same thing.

 

[Rachel Adams]

I promised myself a few months ago that I wouldn't get involved in any more threads about this non-existent "level of probability" that some text books seem to insist exists. However, I find that I can't resist. In most contexts, "could", "might" and "may" suggest much the same thing.

Why do they confuse learners if it doesn't exist? That's strange. You said "in most contexts, "might", "may" and "could" suggest much the same thing. Do you mean they can suggest different things sometimes? I am not asking sbout permission, ability, etc. I mean in the context of these sentences.

 

[5jj]

Why do they confuse learners if it doesn't exist?

They confuse only learners who are led to believe that there is a significant difference in meaning,

 

[Rachel Adams]

They confuse only learners who are led to believe that there is a significant difference in meaning,

If there is no difference in meaning then why did that native speaker say "One doesn't say, "She could be my sister," if the chances are one in a million" and Tdol also said "you're more likely to say she might possibly be my sister if there is a very small chance". So there are still nuances and situations in which one of them is a better option, aren't there?

 

[5jj]

If there is no difference in meaning then why did that native speaker say "One doesn't say, "She could be my sister," if the chances are one in a million"

Because some people have odd ideas.

 

[emsr2d2]

For a start, in that example, Tdol said that "could be" isn't the same as "might possibly be". I agree with that. Of course I'll concede that there are a contexts in which one word is better than another but it really does have a lot less to do with this mythical "degree of possibility/probability" than the naturalness of the English.

 

[5jj]

I know that I am saying what has been said before, but I think a couple of points are worth repeating

1. It is not possible to explain clearly the differences between may and might.

For some people, may indicates a stronger possibility than might.
For others, the two words have the same meaning.
For others, particularly speakers of AmE, may does not exist. They use only might.

Many people do not realise that their way of using the word(s) may be different from others. That rarely, if ever, matters. If we know from context that the other person is not talking about permission, then whichever word they use, we know that they are talking about possibility. Such factors as context, the way the word may or might is stressed, facial expression, etc, may (!) suggest whether the speaker considers the situation referred to as a strong or weak possibility, but we have no guarantees.

2. The difference between could and might is not much clearer except when context tells us that could refers to ability. For me, could suggests some idea of circumstances permitting a possibility, might simply suggests the possibility:

Bill (Looking at a slightly fuzzy photograph of a group of people): Who's that person standing next to Mr Jones?
Ben: It could be my sister. (Ben knows that his sister was in the area at the time, and the person standing next to Mr Jones has long blonde hair, as does his sister.

Bill (Looking at a slightly fuzzy photograph of a group of people): Who's that person standing next to Mr Jones?
Ben: It might be my sister. (Ben is saying that it is possible that it is his sister. It is also possible that it is not.)

This difference becomes clearer if we negate the modals.

Bill: Isn't that your sister standing next to Mr Jones?
Ben: It couldn't be my sister. (Ben knows that his sister was in America when the photograph was taken)

Bill: Isn't that your sister standing next to Mr Jones?
Ben: It might not be my sister. (Ben is saying that it is possible that it is not his sister - but it is still possible that it is.)

I said that that was the difference for me. Others may see it differently.

 

[Rachel Adams]

For a start, in that example, Tdol said that "could be" isn't the same as "might possibly be". I agree with that. Of course I'll concede that there are a contexts in which one word is better than another but it really does have a lot less to do with this mythical "degree of possibility/probability" than the naturalness of the English.

So there is no difference. Degrees of possibility don't exist in English and all four sentences mean the same. Right?

 

[Rachel Adams]

I know that I am saying what has been said before, but I think a couple of points are worth repeating

1. It is not possible to explain clearly the differences between may and might.

For some people, may indicates a stronger possibility than might.
For others, the two words have the same meaning.
For others, particularly speakers of AmE, may does not exist. They use only might.

I said that that was the difference for me. Others may see it differently.

I think one of the previous explanations I remember was yours. In this sentence: "it may/might/could rain in the evening." "May" and "might" are used as predictions while "could" suggests it's not impossible."

You said "for some people, may indicates a stronger possibility than might" do you mean in your photograph example "may" would indicate a stronger possibility than both "could" and "might"?

 

[5jj]

I sometimes wonder if there is any point in responding. I have just explained one difference, as I see it, between it could be my sister and it might be my sister.

And of course degrees of possibility exist in English. They are just not necessarily expressed by the three modals we are discussing.

 

[Rachel Adams]

I sometimes wonder if there is any point in responding. I have just explained one difference, as I see it, between it could be my sister and it might be my sister.



And of course degrees of possibility exist in English. They are just not necessarily expressed by the three modals we are discussing.

Regarding "may". You didn't use "may". That's why I had to ask about it.

"Of course?" But wasn't it mentioned in this thread that they don't exist?:roll:

 

[5jj]

My post 14 was a response to your post 12

 

[emsr2d2]

You're not going to get any answer here that we all agree on. Having said that, 5jj's explanation is pretty much perfect for how many BrE speakers see it.

Using your "one in a million" example again, I would have to say that the following all mean the same to me:

1. There's a one in a million chance she's my sister.
2. There's a one in a million chance she might be my sister.
3. There's a one in a million chance she could be my sister.

The important thing is the "one in a million chance".

 

[5jj]

The important thing is the "one in a million chance".

:up:

That's the degree of possibility.

 

[jutfrank]

For me, could suggests some idea of circumstances permitting a possibility, might simply suggests the possibility:

Bill (Looking at a slightly fuzzy photograph of a group of people): Who's that person standing next to Mr Jones?
Ben: It could be my sister. (Ben knows that his sister was in the area at the time, and the person standing next to Mr Jones has long blonde hair, as does his sister.

For the record, and for the sake of understanding what each of us means, I want to point out that this is the difference that I refer to as theoretical versus real possibility. Your 'circumstances that permit the possibility' is what I understand as the 'theoretical framework' with which we construct hypotheses, whether that's through empirical evidence or through purely rational deduction. In other words, It could be my sister is another way to say 'It is theoretically possible that it is my sister, given the evidence at hand'.

Contrastingly, where you say 'might simply suggests the possibility', I'd say might expresses a 'real' possibility (as opposed to hypothetical one).

Bill: (Looking at a slightly fuzzy photograph of a group of people): Who's that person standing next to Mr Jones?
Ben: It might be my sister. (Ben is saying that it is possible that it is his sister. It is also possible that it is not.)

In my terms, the use of might shows that the speaker is focused on the reality of the matter. Ben's talking here about what is true rather than what could be true. In other words, this utterance is not a statement of theory but a statement of reality (or uncertainty about reality). This is all quite hard to explain, but I hope I've made it clear, or clearer, what I mean when I use the term 'real' possibility in past and future posts.

So to echo what we all seem to agree on: modal verbs do not express in themselves degree of possibility. Degree comes from other words and phrases (typically adverbs and adverbial phrases). However, in my understanding, modal verbs can express a difference in kind of possibility.

 

[Rachel Adams]

You're not going to get any answer here that we all agree on. Having said that, 5jj's explanation is pretty much perfect for how many BrE speakers see it.

Using your "one in a million" example again, I would have to say that the following all mean the same to me:

1. There's a one in a million chance she's my sister.
2. There's a one in a million chance she might be my sister.
3. There's a one in a million chance she could be my sister.

The important thing is the "one in a million chance".

That's clear to me. Thanks. But why didn't you both use "may"? If I am not mistaken,some native speakers use it for permission not for expressing possibility. I think it was mentioned in one of the threads. Is this why 5jj and you didn't use "may" in your examples?