Financial Times | November 3, 2021
"Interest rates may be heading higher sooner than expected, warns Fed chair."
May be vs. Maybe
The '30 Seconds' Difference At A Glance
'May be' is a verb phrase meaning something might or could be true. 'Maybe' is an adverb meaning perhaps or possibly.
Maybe we should call ahead first - the restaurant may be full tonight.
A Deeper Look
'May be' (two words) is about something possibly being in a certain state or condition. Think of it as "might be" or "could be".
The shops may be closed on Sunday.
She may be running late - there's lots of traffic.
'Maybe' (one word) means "perhaps" or "possibly" when you're talking about the whole situation.
Maybe we should order takeaway tonight.
I'll maybe go to the party, I haven't decided yet.
Common Usage Patterns
May be
Usually followed by an adjective, participle, or prepositional phrase: may be late, may be working, may be in trouble
Maybe
Often starts sentences or appears between clauses: Maybe later, Maybe not, Yes maybe no
Key Patterns
'May be' can always be replaced by 'might be' or 'could be'. 'Maybe' can usually be replaced by 'perhaps'
What Teachers Say
"When students struggle with this, I tell them to try replacing the phrase with 'might be'. If it works, they need 'may be' - if it doesn't, they need 'maybe'."
-- Helen, Edinburgh
"'Maybe' at the start of a sentence is always correct - it's impossible to begin a sentence with 'may be'."
-- John, Auckland
"In formal writing, students tend to overuse 'may be' when they really mean 'maybe'. It's worth checking if you really need the verb 'be'."
-- Michael, Boston
From The Headlines
The Independent | July 15, 2016
"Maybe it's time to rethink how we approach climate change, suggests new study."
The Boston Globe | March 22, 2010
"Downtown development project may be delayed until next spring."
Test Yourself!
1. _______ we should wait until tomorrow.
2. The documents _______ in the filing cabinet.
3. "_______ she'll come to the party." "She _______ working late."
