The Pen May Be Mightier than the Sword, but Only When Used Correctly
I’ve just finished reading the first two books in a cozy series. They were mercifully short and, frankly, weren’t great. I won’t embarrass the author by naming her.
One constant irritation as I read was the misuse of the word “may.”
I’m not sure this is something most readers would notice, but I sure did, and as a writer I know that the last thing you want to do is add a speck of sand to the reader’s metaphoric shoe. You don’t want any friction, anything that will pull them out of the story they’re reading.
Misusing a word — especially when you do it over and over again — provides that piece of grit.
So when do you use “may” and when do you use “might?” When we were in elementary school, we learned that “may” was used for permission. “May I go now?” instead of, “Can I go now?”. That’s the obvious one.
Now let’s look at the less obvious times you use “may” and “might.”
First, what the tense? Are you writing about something happening now, something that happened in the past, or something predicted for the future?
For present tense, use “may” if it’s something that’s quite likely to happen (“I may finish revisions on my book”).
When writing about something that’s already occurred, use “might.” (“I might have aced the test.”)
“Might” also describes something in the future with low probability. So, “I might be an astronaut on the next space flight,” or, “I might win the lottery.”
Use “might” when permission is not the issue. “I might faint!”
Somehow, there’s an idea among some writers that “may” sounds more educated than “might,” or, with Americans writing an English setting, that “may” is somehow more genteel or more upper class.
It’s not. (These same people often use “shall” instead of “will” for the same reason, but that’s a rant for another day.)
I can tell you (with high probability!) that I might not read anything more from the author who used “may” instead of “might” throughout.
Want to know more about may vs might and other such word choices? Grammarly is an excellent source, and MasterClass has a helpful article about it.
What I’m Reading
The Tower Bridge Murder by Emily Organ
This is the fourth in the Augusta Peel series (first is Death in Soho).
Augusta Peel repairs old books and sells them in her London shop. She also solves crimes, along with her friend Detective Inspector Fisher of Scotland Yard. The DI has a high regard for Mrs. Peel. After all, they worked together during the war.
After a young woman is found dead, having jumped, or maybe been pushed, off Tower Bridge, the investigation is going nowhere. That’s because DI Fisher seems to have disappeared, and the detective assigned to the case is a plodder with no imagination, and even less tolerance for Mrs. Peel’s interference.
Eventually DI Fisher resurfaces, and he and Mrs. Peel take on a different crime which ends up intersecting with the Tower Bridge case. Needless to say, they successfully solve both, bringing down a personable, rich, and powerful bad guy along the way.
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Notable Quotes
Five foot nothing on a good day, and only if the wind is blowing in the right direction.
- Well Dressed to Die by Kate P. Adams
I love this, being, like the narrator, five foot nothing on a good day. I’ve spent my entire adult life telling people I’m five feet tall when I stand up very straight. . .
When she opened her eyes, the early winter sunshine showed the vast Pacific Ocean stretched out through the large window in front of her. . .
- A Tiny Dash of Death by Carolyn L. Dean
While we’re on the subject of word choices, this sentence is open to more than one interpretation. When I first read it, I envisioned the Pacific Ocean, coming through the window in front of her and into the room. Probably not what the author intended.