might have broken

USAGE SUMMARY

'might have broken' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in a sentence when you are describing something that could have happened, but didn't. Example: He was so angry that he jumped up and slammed the door so hard that it might have broken.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

I might have £5 on Pike.

The Guardian - Film

"We might have 300 left".

The New York Times - Arts

Another clinic might have 10 tuberculosis samples.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In a very crazy week we might have 16 shows.

Harvard Business Review

The V.R.D.O.'s might have 30-year maturities.

The New York Times

We might have 70 people crammed in here.

The New York Times

Terrible diseases where you have few samples and you might have 50,000 features.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

So if a mother has 10 repeats, her child might have 11 or 12.

The New York Times - Health

Each of these broader categories might have 10, 30, 50 elements.

The New York Times - Magazine

He might have 40 bucks or 20 bucks for the week.

The New York Times

In a dance audition, you might have 450 women, 125 men looking for two parts.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, ensure the context clearly indicates what "might have broken", avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "might of broken", as "might have" is the correct modal construction to express past possibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "might have broken" functions as a modal perfect construction, expressing speculation about a past event. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English when describing something that could have happened but didn't.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

0%

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "might have broken" is a grammatically correct modal perfect construction used to express speculation or possibility about a past event. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While versatile across different contexts, remember to use it when you are unsure if something actually broke but want to suggest it as a possibility. Because there is no exact example, usage pattern cannot be calculated. Also, avoid the common error of using "might of broken" instead of "might have broken".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could have broken

Expresses a similar degree of possibility regarding a past event or condition.

may have broken

Indicates a possibility that something broke in the past, similar to "might have broken".

it's possible it broke

Rephrases the idea as a statement of possibility.

it is possible that it broke

Rephrases the idea as a statement of possibility.

possibly broke

Conveys the potential for breakage but with less emphasis on conditionality.

there's a chance it broke

Expresses that breakage was a possible event in the past.

conceivably broke

Suggests an event occurred that could have resulted in something broken, focusing on conceivability.

potentially shattered

Emphasizes the potential for a more severe form of breakage.

it is conceivable it broke

Rephrases the idea as a statement of conceivable.

perhaps cracked

Focuses on a milder form of breakage that is possible.

FAQs

How can I use "might have broken" in a sentence?

Use "might have broken" to express a possibility or speculation about something that could have happened in the past but isn't confirmed. For example, "He slammed the door so hard, it "might have broken"".

What's a synonym for "might have broken"?

Alternatives include "could have broken" or "may have broken". These phrases convey a similar sense of possibility regarding a past event.

Is "might of broken" grammatically correct?

No, "might of broken" is incorrect. The correct form is "might have broken". Remember to always use "have" after "might" to form the perfect modal construction.

What does "might have broken" imply?

"Might have broken" implies that there's a possibility something was broken in the past, but it's not a certainty. It suggests speculation or a lack of confirmation. For example, "The fall "might have broken" his arm" suggests the possibility of a broken arm, but it isn't a confirmed fact.