May vs Might: Permission or a More Tentative Possibility
In TOEIC Part 5, may and might often appear in policies, customer notices, forecasts, project risks, and possible future outcomes.
The fast choice is not “Which one always means a stronger chance?” In ordinary English, both can express possibility. The reliable TOEIC choice is: does the sentence give permission, present an open possibility, or describe a more tentative or hypothetical result?
The 7-second choice
First check whether the sentence is a rule or permission. If not, look for a hypothetical condition or an uncertain result.
May
Formal permission or an open possibility: customers may return items, employees may apply, delays may occur.
Might
A more tentative or imagined result: the project might be delayed, the plan might have failed, costs might increase.
The signal to remember
This is the MTC move. Use the situation around the blank rather than trying to calculate an exact percentage of possibility.
The sentence gives formal permission. Choose may.
The sentence describes a hypothetical result. Choose might.
The sentence presents an allowed option.
The result is possible but tentative.
What TOEIC wants you to notice
TOEIC often makes the answer clear through the purpose of the sentence.
These commonly express permission or an available option.
These commonly express a tentative or hypothetical result.
Do not force a false percentage rule
May and might can overlap when they simply express possibility. TOEIC questions should provide another signal, such as permission, a hypothetical condition, or a set phrase.
Clear may signal
A policy, instruction, or allowed choice: applicants may submit documents online.
Clear might signal
An imagined alternative or past possibility: the launch might have failed without the backup system.
This is permission.
This is a hypothetical past result.
Under pressure, ask one question: permission, open possibility, or hypothetical result?
Quick TOEIC check
Choose first. Then read the feedback. Use the one-second check: allowed action, or tentative/hypothetical result?
1. Employees ___ request reimbursement for approved business travel expenses.
2. Without the emergency loan, the company ___ have closed two regional offices.
3. Applicants ___ submit supporting documents electronically or by post.
4. The old system ___ have remained in use if the replacement had not arrived on time.
The mistake fast readers make
Fast readers often memorise “may is stronger” and “might is weaker” as an absolute rule. That is not reliable enough.
Weak choice
Try to assign an exact probability without using the sentence purpose.
Better choice
Check for permission, an allowed option, or a hypothetical result.
Why this mistake returns under pressure
Both words can express possibility, so meaning alone is sometimes not enough. Reliable questions include a visible policy or hypothetical pattern.
Do not invent a difference when the sentence gives none. Use the strongest visible signal.
Continue building fast sentence decisions
These pages also train the test-taker to use the purpose and visible pattern of the sentence.
Use small TOEIC mistakes as a diagnostic
If you understand the answer during review but miss it under time pressure, the problem may be your decision pattern rather than the words alone.
Start with the Learning Block Diagnostic to see whether your mistakes connect to Speed Trap, Memoriser, Over Thinker, Translator, Passive Listener, or Burnout.
Continue reading
Use these pages to turn small TOEIC mistakes into faster decisions and better review.