While writing have you ever wondered whether there is any difference between ‘may be’ and ‘maybe,’ except the fact that the former is written with a space between ‘may’ and ‘be’? Well, actually there is. ‘May be’ is a phrase whereas ‘maybe’ is one word. They also have different meanings and usage.
In this blog article, we will explain the difference between ‘maybe’ and ‘may be’, how to use them properly, and how to avoid common mistakes. We will also provide some examples and tips to help you remember the rules. So let’s get started!
Maybe Vs May Be: What Is The Difference
‘Maybe’ and ‘May Be’ are confused with each other because they sound the same. Both phrases are used to express uncertainty or possibility. However, they have different grammatical functions and uses.
May be is a verb phrase that means “might be” or “could be”. Maybe is an adverb that means “perhaps” or “possibly”.
For example:
- Maybe I’ll go to the park today. (Perhaps I’ll go to the park today.)
- It may be sunny later. (It might be sunny later.)
Now that you know the basic difference between the ‘maybe’ and ‘may be,’ read on below to learn more about the two words in detail.
What Does ‘Maybe’ Mean
The word ‘maybe’ is an adverb when we want to say or mean ‘perhaps’ or ‘possibly’. It is an adverb because it’s main purpose is to modify verb. We use the word when we want to show or mean that something is uncertain or not definite. For example:
- Maybe it will rain tomorrow. (Perhaps it will rain tomorrow.)
- I don’t know, maybe. (I don’t know, possibly.)
The word ‘maybe’ is also used politely suggest or ask for something. For example:
- Maybe you should take a break. (I suggest that you take a break.)
- Maybe we can go to the movies later. (I ask if we can go to the movies later.)
Another difference is that we write ‘maybe’ as one word. Whereas, the phrase ‘may be’, is two words. The word is generally placed before, after, or in between verbs.
Examples Of Sentences With ‘Maybe’
Here are some examples of sentences that use the word ‘maybe’:
- Maybe I’ll go to the park today. (Perhaps I’ll go to the park today.)
- He maybe forgot his phone. (He possibly forgot his phone.)
- Maybe you should take a break. (I suggest that you take a break.)
- Maybe we can go to the movies later. (I ask if we can go to the movies later.)
- Maybe it will rain tomorrow. (Possibly it will rain tomorrow.)
- I don’t know, maybe. (I don’t know, perhaps.)
- Maybe she knows the answer. (Perhaps she knows the answer.)
- They may be on their way. (They might be on their way.)
- Maybe he’s not feeling well. (Possibly he’s not feeling well.)
- It may be cloudy today. (It might be cloudy today.)
- Maybe my grandchildren will visit today. (Perhaps my grandchildren will visit today.)
- Maybe my father will drive us to the party. (Possibly my father will drive us to the party.)
- Maybe it’ll snow soon. (Perhaps it’ll snow soon.)
- Maybe I’ll get a new bike for my birthday. (Possibly I’ll get a new bike for my birthday.)
- Maybe that’s why it’s so symmetrical: it’s trying to balance these contradictions. (Perhaps that’s why it’s so symmetrical: it’s trying to balance these contradictions.)
What Does ‘May Be’ Mean
‘May be’ is a verb phrase. We use the phrase when we want to say ‘might be’ or ‘could be’. It refers to the probability of something occurring or something that might already exist. ‘May be’ is not an adverb but rather contains two verbs: ‘may’ and ‘be’. ‘May’ expresses possibility and ‘be’ expresses a state of being. An excellent way to know whether ‘may be’ is the correct choice is to replace it with ‘might be’ or ‘could be’. If it works, your sentence is correct.
Some examples of how to use ‘may be’ are:
- He may be late for the meeting. (He might be late for the meeting.)
- She may be the best singer in the world. (She could be the best singer in the world.)
- You may be correct, but I prefer to stand my ground. (You might be correct, but I prefer to stand my ground.)
Examples Of Sentences With ‘May Be’
Some examples of sentences that use the phrase ‘may be’ are:
- There may be a train at 10.00 am. (There might be a train at 10.00 am.)
- He may be waiting for us. (He could be waiting for us.)
- You may be asked to give a short speech during the presentation. (You might be asked to give a short speech during the presentation.)
- Daytime naps once or twice a week may be linked to a healthy heart. (Daytime naps once or twice a week could be linked to a healthy heart.)
- Jack may be coming to see us tomorrow. (Jack might be coming to see us tomorrow.)
- It may be sunny later. (It could be sunny later.)
- Maybe my grandchildren will visit today. (Perhaps my grandchildren will visit today.)
- Maybe my father will drive us to the party. (Possibly my father will drive us to the party.)
- Maybe it’ll snow soon. (Perhaps it’ll snow soon.)
How To Remember The Difference Between ‘May Be’ And ‘Maybe’
The difference between ‘may be’ and ‘maybe’ is that the former is a verb phrase and the latter is an adverb. We use ‘may be’ to convey ‘might be’ or ‘could be.’ On the other hand, we apply ‘maybe’ when we want to convey ‘perhaps’ or ‘possibly’. A simple way to remember the difference is to try replacing the term with ‘might be’ or ‘possibly’. If ‘might be’ makes sense, use ‘may be’. If ‘possibly’ makes sense, use ‘maybe’.
You can also check the spelling by looking at the word before or after the term. If there is a noun or pronoun before or after the term, use ‘may be’. If there is a verb or nothing before or after the term, use ‘maybe’.
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