Modal Verbs (Might & Will)

Might is a modal verb commonly used to express possibility. However, this is not the only use it has, it is also used in conditional sentences, when making suggestions or requests (although this is less common in American English)

Below there are some examples of the different uses of the modal verb MIGHT:

• Your purse might be in the living room. (possibility)
• If I didn't have to work, I might go with you. (conditional)
• You might visit the botanical gardens during your visit. (suggestion)
• Might I borrow your pen? (request)

As you have seen in UNIT 13 of the ELEMENTARY BOOK (CUTTING EDGE) we will focus on the use of MIGHT as a modal verb used to express POSSIBILITY.

Now you will see how MIGHT behaves in different contexts (tenses)

1. Might can be found in positive and negative forms.
2. it can be found in present, past, future
3. it can be substitute with COULD or MAY

EXAMPLES:

1. She might be on the bus I think her car is having problems. In this sentence we can see the use of MIGHT in a positive form in a sentence that makes reference to something that it is happening in the present or moment of speaking..
2. She might not be on the bus. She might be walking home. In this sentence we can see the use of MIGHT in a negative form in a sentence that makes reference to something that it is happening in the present or moment of speaking..
3. She might have taken the bus. I'm not sure how she got to work. In this sentence you can observe that the other verbs (HAVE TAKEN) are found in a present perfect structure, therefore we can determine that the person is referring to something that has already happened. 
4. She might not have taken the bus. She might have walked home.In this sentence you can observe that the other verbs (HAVE TAKEN) are found in a present perfect structure, therefore we can determine that the person is referring to something that has already happened. 
5. She might take the bus to get home. I don't think Bill will be able to give her a ride.In this sentence we find WILL, in this particular case it is working as most people know (the auxiliary of the future tense). Read carefully, the sentence is positive, because in the main sentence the writer is stating that the it could be possible that the woman take the bus. The secondary sentence it's just explaining the reason why.
6. She might not take the bus. She might get a ride from Bill. In here, we can figure out the tense of the sentence only by reading.

NOTE: MIGHT NOT Vs. COULDN'T

MIGHT NOT suggest you don't know if something happens. COULD NOT suggests that it is impossible for something to happen.

Example: Jack might not have the key. (Maybe he doesn't have the key)

Jack could not have the key (It is impossible that he has the key)
Will: we often associate Will with a future auxiliary. However, we have little or no control over what WILL happen in the future, but we can try to judge if an event is likely to occur or not. 

1. I will graduate in 5 years. (if everything goes smooth it is possible I graduate in 5 years)
2. I will travel abroad if I have the money. (It is possible for me to travel if I have enough money)