29. Focus on: phrasal verbs and might,may, andcan

Possibility: may and might

Both may and might are used to express a medium level of possibility. When may and might are used to express possibility in the present or future, their meaning is the same, but may has a slightly more formal sound. Might is slightly more common in everyday American English:

Nancy might drop in tonight. Nancy may drop in tonight.

The speaker believes that the possibility that Nancy will drop in and the possibility that she will not drop in are approximately equal.

Requests: may and might

Both may and might are used to make requests. May has a formal sound, and is less common than might. Can is the most common in American English:

most common: Can I drop in tonight? formal: May I drop in tonight? very rare: Might I drop in tonight?

Permission: may and can

May and can are also used to give permission. In this case, may is much more formal and is much less common than can. Might is not used for this purpose:

You can drop in after dinner. You may drop in after dinner.

1. ask... for p.v. When you ask for something, you tell someone that you want it.

We asked the waiter for some more coffee.

My wife might ask for more vacation time instead of a raise.

2. ask for p.v. When you say that people are asking for something or asking for it, you mean that they are doing or saying something that is likely to result in punishment or a negative consequence.

I'm warning you — if you keep doing that, you're asking for trouble.

You're asking for it! Don't say that again.

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1. come apart p.v. When something comes apart, the parts separate because it is old or in bad condition or because the parts were not strongly connected to each other.

This toy airplane is such a piece of junk that it came apart in my hand.

Be careful with this old book. It's coming apart.