Writing Tips
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Index M
- ma’am
- Mac-
- Macintosh
- macintosh
- mackintosh
- macro-
- madam
- madame
- made from
- Madelinot
- made of
- made with
- Magdalen Islands
- major breakthrough
- majority
- make a decision
- make allowance for
- mal-
- male
- Man
- manageable
- manager
- manageress
- maneuver
- mango
- Manila
- manila
- manilla
- Manitoba
- Manitoban
- manner
- manoeuvrability
- manoeuvrable
- manoeuvre
- manoeuvring
- mantel
- mantle
- maquiladora
- margins
- marmalade
- mat
- material
- matériel
- materiel
- matri-
- matt
- matte
- maven
- may
- maybe
- may be
- MB
- Mc-
- McIntosh
- MDT
- meager
- meagre
- means
- media
- medium
- mega-
- memorandums: memorandum format
- memorandums: model memorandum
- merchandise
- merchandize
- merge together
- Messrs.
- meta-
- metaphor
- Metro
- micro-
- might
- migrate
- militate
- milli-
- mini-
- minutes: agenda
- minutes: general
- minutes: indirect speech
- minutes: model agenda
- minutes: model minutes
- minutes: writing of minutes
- mis-
- missing gap
- mitigate
- Mmes.
- moment’s notice (at a)
- mono-
- Montréal
- Montréaler
- Montrealer
- monuments and public places
- moot
- moot point
- more ideal
- more preferable
- more than
- most
- most ideal
- most preferable
- Mountain Daylight Time
- Mountain Standard Time
- movements and styles
- Mses.
- Mss.
- MST
- mucous
- mucus
- multi-
- mutual
- mutual co-operation
- myself
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La zone de recherche et les fonctionnalités
may be, maybe
(A similar topic is discussed in French in the article PEUT-ÊTRE/PEUT ÊTRE.)
The word maybe and the phrase may be sound alike, but they have different meanings and functions.
Two words
May be is a verb phrase made up of the auxiliary verb may and the linking verb be:
- My in-laws may be visiting us next week.
One word
Maybe functions as an adverb and means perhaps:
- Maybe the storm will pass quickly.
Note: Maybe can also be used as a noun:
- When I asked to use the car, I was hoping for a yes, but I got a maybe instead.
Tip
To decide whether you should use the one-word or the two-word spelling, try the following substitutions.
- If you can substitute might be, then write may be (two words):
- I may be (= might be) going to Vancouver Island in July.
- If you can substitute perhaps, then write maybe (one word):
- Maybe (= Perhaps) we’ll tour Vancouver Island.
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