He may have cooked dinner [EGAD]

Quiz

Concessives with may. May is sometimes used to concede that a situation is not only possible, but that it also actually is the case. This is a special case of epistemic possibility.
Consider the following pairs of sentences. In each case, decide which of the two sentences is more likely to be interpreted as a concessive rather than a straightforward case of epistemic possibility ('It is possible that...').

(a) My husband may have cooked dinner, but I'm going to pick up something on the way home just in case.

(b) You may have cooked dinner, and I agree that it was delicious. But if you then leave the washing up to me, it does take away from the pleasure.

Expected answer

sentence (a) is concessive (= sentence (b) is not concessive)
Maybe he has already cooked dinner, but I need a back-up plan.
sentence (b) is concessive (= sentence (a) is not concessive)
The fact that you cooked dinner doesn't mean I should have to do the dishes.

Quiz

(a) Those new lightbulbs you bought may save energy, but they don't always work.

(b) I've done the calculations. Putting a new roof on the house may save us money, but it might not save enough energy to make up for the cost of the roof.

Expected answer

sentence (a) is concessive (= sentence (b) is not concessive)
Yes, they save energy, but sometimes they don't work.
sentence (b) is concessive (= sentence (a) is not concessive)
Maybe it will save us some money.

Quiz

(a) It may rain later, but that's no big deal. We'll find some indoor activities to occupy the kids.

(b) It may rain more here than in other areas of the country, but it hardly ever snows.

Expected answer

sentence (a) is concessive (= sentence (b) is not concessive)
Maybe it will rain later.
sentence (b) is concessive (= sentence (a) is not concessive)
True, it rains a lot here, but it doesn't snow much.

Quiz

(a) Northern Europeans may speak English in their daily lives, but there are no signs that their languages are disappearing.

(b) We need to decide how to welcome the international delegates. They may all speak English, but I doubt it.

Expected answer

sentence (a) is concessive (= sentence (b) is not concessive)
Although they speak English in their daily lives, this poses no threat to their native language.
sentence (b) is concessive (= sentence (a) is not concessive)
Maybe they will all speak English, but I doubt it.

Quiz

(a) She may be spending more time with her family in the upcoming months. At least that's what she hopes. But unfortunately, it'll only be temporary.

(b) She may be spending more time with her family than in the past, but it's not exactly what I would call quality time.

Expected answer

sentence (a) is concessive (= sentence (b) is not concessive)
Maybe she will be spending more time with her family.
sentence (b) is concessive (= sentence (a) is not concessive)
Although she's spending more time with her family, it's not quality time.

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