By Judy Vorfeld
Maybe you’ve wondered about how to use the word “maybe.” It’s not something that gets a lot of attention from the grammar police, but it’s still good to know how to write it properly.
Okay. “Maybe,” the compound word, is an adverb meaning “perhaps” or “possibly.”
The two words “may be” comprise a verb phrase meaning “might be” or “could be.”
Examples:
Maybe I will go out tonight.
I may be going out tonight.
If you’re uncertain about using the word “maybe” or the phrase “may be,” you might try substituting “perhaps”: “Maybe Frankie will take me to the ball game” becomes “Perhaps Frankie will take me to the ball game.”
When the substitution makes sense, go with one word: “maybe.” When you are wondering whether you may be waiting for the wrong vehicle, you’re dealing with a verb and its auxiliary: “may be.” Two words.
