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SC - Which is correct in GMAT ?

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goelmohit2002: Legendary Member; Posts: 1799; Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 36 times

by goelmohit2002 » Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:36 am

Hi All,

Can someone please tell out of the following two sentences which one is correct (May Vs Might)...or both are equally correct as far as May/Might is concerned.

1. As many as 300 of the 720 paintings attributed to Rembrandt "may" actually be the works of his students or other admirers.
2. As many as 300 of the 720 paintings attributed to Rembrandt "might" actually be the works of his students or other admirers.

Thanks
Mohit

Last edited by goelmohit2002 on Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:36 am

rahulg83: Legendary Member; Posts: 575; Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:58 amFollowed by: 4 members; Location: India; Thanked: 18 times; GMAT Score:710

by rahulg83 » Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:46 am

As far as i know,
May-statement of fact/in present tense
Might-a bit hypothetical/past tense..
Well, between the two sentences you quoted..i feel A is more suitable..
But need to confirm this. can you post any specific question that tests this rule. I have not seen any question so far that simply differentiate two choices simply on the basis of "might" vs "may"

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ketkoag: Legendary Member; Posts: 876; Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:14 am; Thanked: 13 times

by ketkoag » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:30 pm

may is used to represent the situation in which u r a bit certain about something.. but might is used to express more uncertain situations.
there is a difference between the two..
Consider this:
1. It may rain. (here u have seen the weather report this morning and it confirms that there is a good possibility of rain today. The weather report doesn't confirms that it will rain today but tells u a good possibility for it to happen.)
2. It might rain.(here u have no idea what is gonna happen but according to the clouds in the sky, u think it might rain but u don't have any such weather report about it.)
i m not able to put a better example but will post it as soon as i come across it..

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goelmohit2002: Legendary Member; Posts: 1799; Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 36 times

by goelmohit2002 » Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:37 am

ketkoag wrote:may is used to represent the situation in which u r a bit certain about something.. but might is used to express more uncertain situations.
there is a difference between the two..
Consider this:
1. It may rain. (here u have seen the weather report this morning and it confirms that there is a good possibility of rain today. The weather report doesn't confirms that it will rain today but tells u a good possibility for it to happen.)
2. It might rain.(here u have no idea what is gonna happen but according to the clouds in the sky, u think it might rain but u don't have any such weather report about it.)
i m not able to put a better example but will post it as soon as i come across it..

Thanks Ket for clearing the doubt so nicely.

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goelmohit2002: Legendary Member; Posts: 1799; Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 36 times

by goelmohit2002 » Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:39 am

rahulg83 wrote:As far as i know,
May-statement of fact/in present tense
Might-a bit hypothetical/past tense..
Well, between the two sentences you quoted..i feel A is more suitable..
But need to confirm this. can you post any specific question that tests this rule. I have not seen any question so far that simply differentiate two choices simply on the basis of "might" vs "may"

Hi Rahul,

I have not seen any question as such which tested just this "may" Vs "might".....but there were options with this split as well as some others errors too.

Thanks
Mohit

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dumb.doofus: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 435; Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 2:02 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Location: San Jose, CA; Thanked: 43 times; GMAT Score:720

by dumb.doofus » Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:47 am

Just in case you guys want a good example along with explanation too.. you can check

https://gmattoughies.blocked/2009/0 ... might.html

One love, one blood, one life. You got to do what you should.
https://dreambigdreamhigh.blocked/
https://gmattoughies.blocked/

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graghukalyan: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 50; Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:36 am; Thanked: 1 times

by graghukalyan » Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:53 am

Hi mohit,

I found this resource quite elaborate in explaining the difference :

https://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/may-might.aspx

Hope this helps
Cheers !!

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gmat740: MBA Student; Posts: 1194; Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:42 pmFollowed by: 17 members; Location: Paris, France; Thanked: 71 times; GMAT Score:710

by gmat740 » Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:56 am

As far as i know,
May-statement of fact/in present tense
Might-a bit hypothetical/past tense..
Well, between the two sentences you quoted..i feel A is more suitable..
But need to confirm this. can you post any specific question that tests this rule. I have not seen any question so far that simply differentiate two choices simply on the basis of "might" vs "may"

I also used the same concept and landed up with "might"

Look Again

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goelmohit2002: Legendary Member; Posts: 1799; Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 36 times

by goelmohit2002 » Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:22 am

gmat740 wrote:
As far as i know,
May-statement of fact/in present tense
Might-a bit hypothetical/past tense..
Well, between the two sentences you quoted..i feel A is more suitable..
But need to confirm this. can you post any specific question that tests this rule. I have not seen any question so far that simply differentiate two choices simply on the basis of "might" vs "may"
I also used the same concept and landed up with "might"

Look Again

I second gmat740.

If might say about more uncertain situations then IMO here might is better.

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goelmohit2002: Legendary Member; Posts: 1799; Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 36 times

by goelmohit2002 » Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:10 am

Hi Guys,

Reopening a sleeping thread...just to avoid any confusions...

Looks like that this may Vs might is not correct atleast in GMAT...

Please read the Stacey's comments on this subject at the following thread:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/company-s-an ... tml#173343

If you guys have come across any exceptions to this...where may Vs might have made any distinctions in GMAT...then let's ask Stacey about the same...

Thanks
Mohit

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