6月22日号：Maybe and may be

In spoken English, maybe and may be look and sound almost exactly the same. However, they are very different in meaning and how we use them.

Today, let’s look at the difference between maybe and may be.

Maybe is an adverb and usually comes at the beginning of a sentence or clause. Maybe means that you are not certain about something. We usually use maybe in more casual or informal situations, like when talking to a friend.

◆ Maybe I will go to Hawaii this summer.

◆ Maybe he forgot to pay his gas bill last month.

◆ I think that maybe the restaurant is closed today.

Maybe and maybe not can be used to respond to a question to show you are not sure.

A: Do you think it will snow tonight?

B: Maybe.

A: Are you going to quit your job?

B: Maybe not.

Maybe can also be used to give softer advice or suggestions.

◆ I think that maybeyou should apologize to your friend.

◆ Maybe you need to eat smaller meals and exercise more.

◆ Maybe we can go out for dinner before we go to the theater

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英会話イーオン東京本社教務課コーディネーター。イーオン教師のトレーニングや英語セミナーを企画制作するカリスマ教師として活躍中。カリフォルニア大学バークレー校卒業。趣味は読書、料理、クラフトワーク。