【问】 (A) Mathews may have written that letter.

(B)The team may well have won the football match...

请问may well与may有无区别?

【答】 在上面的句子里，情态动词may只表示可能性。may well中的well，起加强作用，表示有更大的可能性或更充分的理由。might well中的well亦具有相同的作用。请对比下列实例：

1. I may be going back in the fall. (Dreiser)

我或许在秋天回来。

2. He may not be there. (Palmer)

他或许不在那儿。

3. You may well say so.

你这样说是有理由的。

4. He might well be in neighbourhood.

他很可能在邻居家。

5. His appearance has changed so much that you may well not recognize him. (LDCE)

他的容貌变化很大，你很可能不认识他了。

6. He might well attend the meeting instead of me. (CGEL)

他很有可能代替我出席会议。