maybe

Everyday

1. Maybe means perhaps: it might be true or might not, and you are not sure. tree →
2. Maybe makes a polite suggestion or a soft answer: «Maybe we could share.» tree →
3. As a noun, a maybe is an answer that is neither yes nor no. tree →

In the lessons

a word of the story only; sometimes it introduces a guess to check (guess and check in maths), not a given fact; in science it marks an idea still to be tested; in everyday life it softens a request or a reply; in stories it shows a character is not sure; phrases «maybe not», «maybe later», «maybe so»

Examples

• Maybe he has 20 marbles. tree →
• Maybe it will rain, so take your umbrella. tree →
• Is it maybe 5 or 6? Check both. tree →
• Maybe we could play tag after lunch. tree →
• "Can we get a puppy?" "Maybe, we'll see." tree →
• Maybe the plant needs more light, so let's test it. tree →
• Maybe the dragon was not asleep after all. tree →
• Her answer was a maybe, not a yes. tree →
• "Maybe you'd win," said the bocough. tree →

Note

No clue; a guess is not a given fact. One word «maybe» (adverb, = perhaps) versus two words «may be» (verb): «Maybe it is late» = «It may be late». Trap: do not use a «maybe» sentence as true data in a problem; a «maybe» from a grown-up is not a yes.