 In this video, let's talk about the difference between maybe as one word and maybe as two words. This is a request that I got from a student and I know this can be a very confusing topic, but I promise to make it very easy and clear for you. Of course, I'm Jennifer from jforisenglish.com and this channel is dedicated to helping you sound like a fluent, confident, natural English speaker. Now before we go any further, make sure you subscribe and hit that bell icon so you're notified every time I post a new lesson. Now let's dive in with this video. Today, let's talk about the difference between maybe as one word and maybe as two words. First of all, you need to know that these are not the same and they're not interchangeable. So using one instead of the other would be wrong, incorrect. Now they have the same meaning. We use both of them to talk about the potential of something being true. The difference is simply in their sentence structure because maybe as one word is an adverb, an adverb, and may is a verb, okay? May and then this be, the be is there as the auxiliary verb with the verb to be. May be, that's a verb. So now that you know the difference, let's see how to use them in a sentence. Let's see an example with maybe as one word, so as an adverb. Let's say my friend asks me, why is Peter upset? Now I don't know why, but I have a potential answer so I can use maybe and I can say maybe he's tired, maybe he's tired. So notice here it's an adverb, my subject is he, my verb is is the verb to be conjugated with our subject. Now notice to be tired, the verb is be, tired is an adjective to be tired, maybe he's tired. Now let's take that same sentence but change it and use may be two words as a verb. So again, the question, why is Peter upset? And I can reply and say he may be tired, he may be tired. Now I want you to notice that pronunciation at a natural pace is the exact same for them, maybe as one word and maybe as two words, a verb. I'm putting a space between them just to make it clear for you, okay? But at a natural pace it's he may be tired, there's no difference in pronunciation. So here he may, that's our verb, subject, verb, he may, now be is with the expression to be tired, to be tired. So that's our auxiliary verb be. So we use may as a verb to suggest possibility, potential. I don't know 100% that he's tired. So remember the meaning is the same, it's simply the sentence structure that's different. So let's review some sentences, but we'll do this as a quiz. So I'm going to show you a sentence and you need to decide if it's correct or incorrect. So put your answer in the comments as well. So number one, correct, incorrect, smiley face, frowny face, okay? Maybe Julie's running late. Now remember, you can't tell from pronunciation. So you can only tell from spelling. So look at it. Is this correct or incorrect? What do you think? Put it in the comments. This is incorrect because I need an adverb. Now the trick is that maybe as an adverb, one word is generally going to come at the beginning of a sentence, okay? Whereas maybe as two words, so our verb is generally going to come after the subject. So this one is incorrect. Now I can say maybe Julie's running late as one word, or I can say Julie subject. Now I need my verb. Julie may be running late. So I can form a sentence with either one. It just depends grammatically if I need an adverb or a verb. Now let's try number two. The flight may be delayed. Is this correct or incorrect? Hmm, this is correct because we have subject, the flight, and now I have a verb, subject verb. May be, so I have my verb, two words, the flight may be delayed. If I want to change the sentence, I could say maybe, maybe the flight's delayed. I could start with my adverb. Number three, maybe she'll call you later. What do you think? Correct or incorrect? This one is incorrect because it's beginning the sentence so it's an adverb. I need one word. Maybe she'll call you later. Now I could change the sentence a little and use it as a verb and say she may call you later. Notice here, I'm not using the verb to be at all. I'm just saying she may call. So may, we just need any verb. She may call you later. In that case, there's no confusion between maybe and may call because they're totally different, right? So long to practice, I'm sure by now the difference is clear, easy to understand, right? So let us know how did you do in the quiz. And now it's your turn to practice. I want you to do the same thing I did. Leave one sentence with maybe and then one sentence with maybe as your verb. So practice with the adverb and the verb. If you found this video helpful, please hit the like button, share it with your friends, and of course, subscribe. Now before you go, make sure you head on over to my website jforisenglish.com and download your free speaking guide. In this guide, I share six tips on how to speak English fluently and confidently. And until next time, happy studying! Awesome job! Now you know the difference between these two, and I'm sure you'll have no problem forming your own sentences. So don't forget to leave those in the comments below and I'll see you in my next video. Bye!