English
May, Might, Could, and Must for Deductions
Updated Oct 28, 2026
Express how certain a conclusion seems.
What you’ll learn
Express how certain a conclusion seems.
សន្និដ្ឋានពីភស្តុតាង និងបង្ហាញកម្រិតប្រាកដប្រជា។
Meaning and use
May, might, and could can express a possible explanation. Must expresses a strong positive deduction from evidence; cannot expresses a strong negative deduction. These are judgments, not mathematical certainty or fixed percentages. Distinguish deduction must from must meaning obligation by considering the context.
May, might និង could បង្ហាញលទ្ធភាព។ Must បង្ហាញការសន្និដ្ឋានយ៉ាងមុតមាំ ហើយ cannot បង្ហាញថាមិនអាចជាការពិតតាមភស្តុតាងដែលមាន។
Grammar patterns
| Pattern | Example or form |
|---|---|
| Possible explanation | may/might/could + base |
| Strong deduction | must be / cannot be |
Examples
-
Dara might be at the library.
ដារ៉ាប្រហែលជានៅបណ្ណាល័យ។
-
The shop could be closed today.
ហាងប្រហែលជាបិទថ្ងៃនេះ។
-
You must be tired after that journey.
អ្នកប្រាកដជាហត់ក្រោយការធ្វើដំណើរនោះ។
-
That cannot be Maly; she is abroad.
នោះមិនអាចជាម៉ាលីទេ ព្រោះនាងនៅក្រៅប្រទេស។
Everyday conversation
Dara: The lights are on upstairs.
Maly: Someone might be working late. It cannot be Dara; he left with us.
Common mistakes
| Instead of | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| She might to know. | She might know. | A modal takes a base verb without to. |
| It must be not true. (strong negative deduction) | It cannot be true. | Cannot is the usual strong negative deduction. |
Practice
Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.
សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។
- Choose a strong positive deduction: You ran ten kilometres. You ___ be tired.
- Choose a possibility, not a certainty: The noise ___ be the wind.
- Does must in You must be cold express a rule?
Answers and explanations
Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ
-
must
The evidence supports a strong conclusion.
-
might / may / could
Each expresses a possible explanation here.
-
No. It is normally a deduction.
The speaker infers how the person feels from the situation.
Quick recap
- Possible explanation: may/might/could + base
- Strong deduction: must be / cannot be