may be vs to be

Both "may be" and "to be" are correct phrases, but they are used in different contexts. "May be" is used to express possibility or uncertainty, while "to be" is used to indicate a state or condition. They are not directly comparable as they serve different purposes.

Last updated: March 22, 2024 • 1250 views

The phrase "may be" is correct and commonly used in English to express possibility or uncertainty.

"may be"

Use "may be" to indicate that something is possible or uncertain. It is often used when speculating about a situation or outcome.

Examples:

It may be raining tomorrow.
He may be late for the meeting.
The answer may be in the next chapter.
She may be right about the solution.
There may be a problem with the software.

Show examples from the web [+]

Faith in your new apprentice misplaced may be.
This may be slightly unpleasant now...
But girls may be more selfish.
The definitions may be in a version control system.
Your awareness may be powerful enough to control your instincts.
That may be true of my nation.
That life may be fine for samurai.
An abstract macroscale model may be combined with more detailed microscale models.
52 Signal Regiment may be the divisional signals unit.
Antibiotics may be equally effective in certain cases of non-ruptured appendicitis.
Most of these issues may be addressed.
Thus, the questions above may be analyzed.
Behavioral therapy may be useful for chronic pain.
Antiemetic medications may be helpful for treating vomiting in children.
Early exposure to potential allergens may be protective.
Inspiratory crackles may be heard on exam.
Iron chelation may be done with deferoxamine or deferasirox.
Pupil size may be an indicator of sadness.
The cocoon may be buried several centimetres deep in sand.
Kalotermitids' global distribution may be partially attributable to rafting and timber movement.

Alternatives:

might be
could be
possibly is
potentially is
is likely

The phrase "to be" is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a state or condition.

"to be"

Use "to be" to describe a state, condition, or identity of something or someone. It is often used in sentences like "to be or not to be" or "to be continued."

Examples:

To be or not to be, that is the question.
The report is to be submitted by Friday.
The decision is to be made by the board.
The book is to be published next month.
The project is to be completed by the end of the year.

Show examples from the web [+]

Vampires who pretend to be humans pretending to be vampires.
This task will define the aspects to be validated in the SI-Screen system (services to be offered, overall design) and the methodologies to be used.
Rugs made to be stroked and a stand to be experienced.
Do not allow yourselves to be targets, to be manipulated and controlled.
The building needs to be renovated to be made habitable.
And to be suspicious of others is to be jealous.
I need him to be desperate, to be convincing.
I want to be burnt and never to be found.
At least one candidate has to be genuine for the test to be viable.
The ship appears to be in good condition and seems to be inhabited.
It's better to be a number than to be known.
You seem determined to be seen to be better than your neighbours.
Everything that comes in the bubble has to be disassembled to be sterilized.
I suppose you got to be smart these days to be a criminal.
I think people want to be allowed to be virtuous.
You got to be old-fashioned to be born in Mississippi.
People want to be allowed to be virtuous.
It was found to be too fragmentary to be diagnosable and therefore represents a nomen dubium.
First, it needed to be bright enough to be usable for sightings.
At first the friendly Azumi tries to be nice to Chizuru, only to be harshly rejected.

Alternatives:

is
are
will be
being
being done

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may be vs to be

"may be"

"to be"

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