Maybe and May Be Are 'Driving Me Crazy'
Maybe和May Be“令人抓狂”
Hello and welcome to Ask a Teacher!
大家好，欢迎来到《名师答疑》！
In today's program, we compare two things that sound and look the same but are used a little differently. Listen to our reader's request:I want to know the uses of "maybe" and "may be." These two words really drive me crazy.
在今天的节目中，我们将比较两种表达，它们听起来和看起来是一样的，但使用方式却略有不同。让我们听听读者的诉求：我想知道“maybe”和“may be”的用法。这两个表达真的让我抓狂。
Hi and thanks for writing to us! Maybe the words drive you crazy but I may be the right person to help.
你好，感谢你给我们来信！也许（Maybe）这些词语会让你抓狂，但我可能是（may be）解答这个问题的合适人选。
We use both "maybe" and "may be" to talk about possibility. The main difference is that they are different parts of speech.
“maybe”和“may be”都可用来表述可能性。二者的主要区别在于词性不同。
As one word, "maybe" is an adverb - a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a sentence. As an adverb, "maybe" has the same meaning as "possibly."
作为单个词语，“Maybe”是副词，用以修饰动词、形容词、其他副词或全句。作为副词，“maybe”与“possibly”含义相同。
We use it to talk about a future possible action or happening:Maybe I'll go for a swim tomorrow morning.
我们用它来讨论未来可能采取的行动或发生的事情：明天早上我可能去游泳。
We also use it to say that something is possibly correct or true:There are maybe three more people coming.
我们还用它来表示某事可能是正确的或真的：还有三个人可能要来。
We can also use it to respond to a request or suggestion:Do you want to go for a swim tomorrow? Maybe. I have to check my plans, thanks.
我们还可用它来回答请求或建议：明天你想去游泳吗？也许吧。我得看一下我的安排，谢谢。
Now let's talk about "may be" - which is two words. As separate words, "may be" acts as a verb phrase and means "might be" or "could be."
现在让我们来讨论“may be” ，它是两个单词。作为单独的两个单词，“may be”充当动词短语，意思是“might be”或“could be” （可能是）。
For this usage, the word "may" is a modal verb.And "be" can act as either a main verb or part of a continuous verb tense.
在这种用法中，单词“may”是情态动词。单词“be”既可充当主要动词，也可作为延续性动词时态的一部分。
Here it is with "be" as the main verb:There may be another chance to take the exam.
以下例句是用“be”作为主要动词：可能还有机会参加考试。
May be is also sometimes used to make a polite suggestion, as in the next example. The verb "be" here acts as the main verb:It may be a good idea to start saving money.
“May be”有时也用于礼貌性提建议，如下例所示。动词“be”在这里用作主要动词：开始存钱可能是个好主意。
Next is an example with "be" as part of the present continuous (or be + -ing) verb tense:We may be coming to your place later today.
下个例句是用“be”当作动词的现在进行时态（或be + -ing）的一部分：今天晚些时候，我们可能会去你那儿。
And that's Ask a Teacher.
以上是本期《名师答疑》的全部内容。
I'm Alice Bryant.
爱丽丝·布莱恩特报道。