maybe與may be讓許多學生搞不清楚。別再糾結了，看完下列的說明，一勞永逸排除這困惑吧！首先，maybe是副詞，意思是「或許；可能；也許」。習慣放句首。相對地，may be是助動詞may，後面接原形be動詞，翻譯為「或許是；可能是；也許是」。因此，以後你再說：He maybe a killer.，那你就大錯特錯了，因為這句子竟然沒有動詞，完全不符合英文的基本句構習慣。應該說：He may be a killer.才對喔！

maybe

= probably = possibly = likely
或許；也許；可能 (adv.)
☆ maybe通常放句首。

1. Maybe you are right. ( O )
   = You are probably/possibly/likely right. (或許你是對的。)
   You maybe right. ( X )
   ☆ 這句沒有動詞，故不對。
   
   
2. Maybe he will win the championship. = He will probably/possibly/likely win the championship.
   (他可能將贏得冠軍頭銜。)
   
   
3. Maybe she stole the gold. = She probably/possibly/likely stole the gold.
   (也許她偷走這些黃金。)
   
   

may be

= be probably/possibly/likely
或許/也許/可能是
(助動詞 + be原形)

1. Maybe you are right. = You may be right.
   (或許你是對的。)
   
   
2. Maybe he is already dead. = He may be already dead.
   (她也許已經死了。)
   
   
3. Maybe the rain will stop soon. = The rain may stop soon.
   (這場雨可能很快就會停了。)
   
   
4. Maybe she lied to you.
   = She probably/possibly/likely lied to you.
   = She may/might have lied to you.
   (她可能騙了你。)
   
   ☆ S may/might have P.P.
   (1) 過去可能曾經/已經...
   (2) 表對於過去事情的猜測
   (3) may口氣較強，might口氣較弱。
   例1：Tom may/might have been injured yesterday. (昨天湯姆可能受傷了。)
   例2：I may/might have left my purse on the bus. (我當時可能把我的皮包遺忘在公車上。)
   
   

重點整理

1. Maybe S be...
   = S be probably/possibly/likely...
   = S may be...
   主詞可能是...
   ☆ Maybe放句首，may前有主詞，後有原形動詞。
   
   

很多人學英文，只是一味地死背單字的中文意思，而不知道這個字該怎麼用。長久下來，腦袋裡面塞了一堆單字，等到要閱讀文章或造句寫作時，這些單詞顯得零碎雜亂，幾乎沒有什麼用處。王安英文推出一系列「易混淆單字」的精闢整理，希望幫助有心學好英文的人，透過系統整理，把單字背好背滿！不但要知道一個字的中文意思，更要學會該字在一個句子中扮演什麼角色。這麼一來，你的閱讀與寫作能力必定會有大幅的進步喔！