may well與may as well的區別　　

1. may well　　

may well 主要用于加強推測的語氣，表示具有較大的可能性。如：　　

The plan may well be over-ambitious, and is clearly open to discussion.  該計劃可能太過好高騖遠，勢必要招致爭論。　　

On a global scale, AIDS may well become the leading cause of infant death.  艾滋病很可能會成為造成全球嬰兒死亡的首要原因。　　

It may well be worth waiting for better times before making any irrevocable commitment.  最好等到更合適的時候再作出不能反悔的承諾。　　

They may well decide that their interests would be best served by joining in.  他們很有可能認定參與其中才會令其利益最大化。　　

其中的may也可換成might，但語氣更不確定。如：　　

We might well get injured. 我們很可能受傷。　　

I might well regret it later.  我很可能以后會對此后悔的。　　

Nervous politicians might well feel more comfortable with a step-by-step approach.  神經脆弱的政治家們似乎更容易接受一種循序漸進的做法。　　

The whole speech might well be interpreted as a coded message to the Americans.  整個演講完全可以看成是在向美國人傳遞編碼信息。　　

2. may as well　　

may as well 其意思為“不妨”“還是……為好”等。如：　　

You may as well ask him. 你不妨問問他。相當于：　　

It’s not very far, so we may as well go on foot. 那地方不太遠，所以我們還是走著去吧。　　

再如：　　

I may as well start at once.  我還不如馬上就動身。　　

You are here，so you may as well give me a hand.  你們既然在這兒，不如就幫我一下。　　

If I’ve got to go somewhere I may as well go to Birmingham.  如果要去什么地方，那就去伯明翰吧。　　

As there isn’t anything more to do，I may as well go home early.  既然這里沒有別的事要做，我還不如早點回家。　　

其中的may也可換成might，但語氣更不確定。如：　　

You might as well stay with us. 你不妨和我們一道住。　　

另外，有是還可在as well前加上一個副詞just。如：　　

This holiday isn’t much fun. We might just as well be back home. 這個假日過得很乏味，還不如回家去。