The words ‘Might’ and ‘Must’ are two words in the English dictionary. These two words are used by a person in the sentence when it is needed to speculate something to someone regarding a specific thing. Both these words are modal auxiliary verbs. But since both these words have their similarities, they also do have their difference when it comes to characteristics band Features.
Might vs Must
The main difference between ‘Might’ and ‘Must’ is that when the word Might is used in a sentence, it denotes a sense of power that is accountable or a certain force that is influenced by a person to another person, and on the other hand, the word Must is used in a sentence, it denotes that a certain thing is mandatory or is essential for something to happen by a person.
The word ‘might’ is used in a sentence by a person to indicate that something may or may not happen depending on the performance of a specific situation at a specific time. This word is usually used to say that something may happen, but it’s not certain. It’s usually used as an informal way of telling may.
The word ‘Must’ is used in a sentence to indicate that something in some particular timing is really important to be done or that something is necessary for something to happen or not happen. It shows a strong intention of doing or telling to do something. It is another word for telling should.
Comparison Table Between Might and Must
| Parameters of Comparison | Might | Must |
| What it denotes | When the word Might is used in a sentence, it denotes a sense of power that is accountable or a certain force that is influenced by a person to another person. | When the word Must is used in a sentence, it denotes that a certain thing is mandatory or is essential for something to happen to a person. |
| Degree of intensity | The degree of intensity for doing something in ‘Might’ is less than ‘must’. | The degree of intensity of doing something in ‘must’ is more than ‘might’. |
| Function | The use of ‘Might’ in a sentence denotes a possibility of an event happening without certainty. | The use of must in a sentence denotes the obligation of an event with certainty. |
| Type of communication | ‘Might’ is a more formal way of talking. | ‘Must’ is an informal way of talking. |
| Example | We might go to the park tomorrow. | We must wash our hands before eating food. |
What is Might?
The word ‘might’ is used in a sentence by a person to indicate that something may or may not happen depending on the performance of a specific situation at a specific period. This word is usually used to say that something may happen, but it’s not certain. It’s usually used as an informal way of telling may.
The word ‘Might’ is used in a sentence. It denotes a sense of power that is accountable or a certain force that is influenced by a person to another person. This word usually to be used to say that something could happen under certain circumstances. This word is sometimes also used with a past participle in a sentence.
Following are some examples where the word ‘Might’ is used in a sentence-
- I might go to the party tomorrow.
- She might cancel the test tomorrow.
- He might have not been attentive in class at that time.
- I might have been at the English class that day.
- We all might go to the park tomorrow for a picnic.
What is Must?
The word ‘Must’ is used in a sentence to indicate that something in some particular timing is really important to be done or that something is necessary for something to happen or not happen. It shows a strong intention of doing or telling to do something. It is another word for telling should.
The word Must is used in a sentence. It denotes that a certain thing is mandatory or is essential for something to happen to a person. Sometimes this word is used in a sentence having an expression of excitement too. This word can also be used along with past participles in a sentence.
Following are some examples where the word ‘Must’ is used in a sentence-
- She must attend online lectures every day of her classes.
- You all must surely be there at our wedding.
- You must be so tired today!
- Wearing a mask for today is a must outside the road.
Main Differences Between Might and Must
- When the word Might is used in a sentence, it denotes a sense of power which is accountable or a certain force that is influenced by a person to another person, and on the other hand, when the word Must is used in a sentence, it denotes that a certain thing is mandatory or is essential for something to happen by a person.
- The degree of intensity for doing something in ‘Might’ is less as compared to ‘must’, and on the other hand, the degree of intensity of doing something in ‘must’ is more as compared to ‘might’.
- The use of ‘Might’ in a sentence denotes a possibility of an event happening without certainty, and on the other hand, the use of must in a sentence denotes the obligation of an event with certainty.
- I might not go to school tomorrow is an example of the word ‘Might’ in a sentence, and on the other hand, I must go to school tomorrow is an example of the word ‘Must’ in a sentence.
- Might is a more formal way of talking and, on the other hand, must is an informal way of talking.
Conclusion
The words ‘Might’ and ‘Must’ are two words in the English dictionary. These two words are used by a person in the sentence when it is needed to speculate something to someone regarding a specific thing. The use of ‘Might’ in a sentence denotes a possibility of an event happening without certainty, and on the other hand, the use of must in a sentence denotes the obligation of an event with certainty.
Both these words are modal auxiliary verbs. But since both these words have their similarities, they also do have their difference when it comes to characteristics band Features. Hence, both these words should be carefully used knowing how to place them in sentences as replacing each other in a sentence would change the whole meaning of a sentence.
References
- https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/BF02295996.pdf
- http://www.cetla.howard.edu/workshops/docs/The%20Difference%20Between%20Emergency%20Remote%20Teaching%20and%20Online%20Learning%20_%20EDUCAUSE%20(2).pdf