In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 94 in the category of MODALITY is defined:
‘may’ negative
PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE:
However, you may not deny that you can not buy happiness
even if you have too much money.
Korean male, level 4 writing class.
An iWeb search for:
may_VM not _V*I
1 MAY NOT KNOW 28529
2 MAY NOT WORK 22681
3 MAY NOT WANT 17165
4 MAY NOT USE 14983
5 MAY NOT SEEM 14478
Further collocates in THE MOVIE CORPUS:
1 IT 52
2 LIKE 37
3 BUT 16
4 MUCH 11
5 NOW 8
Listen, it may not seem like much now, but I managed to get your research files and your original samples.
6 MAY NOT GET 14420
7 MAY NOT NEED 14257
8 MAY NOT MAKE 9378
9 MAY NOT SEE 8695
10 MAY NOT LIKE 8632
11 MAY NOT REALIZE 7804
12 MAY NOT APPLY 6899
13 MAY NOT EXCEED 6541
14 MAY NOT FEEL 5923
15 MAY NOT SOUND 5686
That may not sound like a lot.
16 MAY NOT LOOK 5612
17 MAY NOT TAKE 5304
18 MAY NOT RECEIVE 5162
19 MAY NOT UNDERSTAND 5115
20 MAY NOT COME 4841
21 MAY NOT INCLUDE 4732
22 MAY NOT PROVIDE 4502
23 MAY NOT AGREE 4380
24 MAY NOT REQUIRE 4158
25 MAY NOT THINK 4112
26 MAY NOT APPEAR 4099
27 MAY NOT FIND 4046
28 MAY NOT FIT 3635
29 MAY NOT SHOW 3494
30 MAY NOT HAPPEN 3416
31 MAY NOT REFLECT 3296
32 MAY NOT GIVE 3246
33 MAY NOT NOTICE 3132
34 MAY NOT GO 3128
35 MAY NOT ALLOW 3075
36 MAY NOT HELP 3028
37 MAY NOT CONTAIN 2887
38 MAY NOT OFFER 2534
39 MAY NOT MATCH 2507
40 MAY NOT MEET 2487
41 MAY NOT LAST 2321
42 MAY NOT CHANGE 2303
43 MAY NOT EXIST 2279
44 MAY NOT COVER 2266
45 MAY NOT HOLD 2261
46 MAY NOT MATTER 2234
47 MAY NOT OCCUR 2082
48 MAY NOT MEAN 1993
49 MAY NOT ACCEPT 1986
50 MAY NOT FUNCTION 1970
51 MAY NOT REMEMBER 1887
52 MAY NOT CAUSE 1871
53 MAY NOT ASSIGN 1858
54 MAY NOT RECOGNIZE 1856
55 MAY NOT CARE 1792
56 MAY NOT BELIEVE 1761
57 MAY NOT SUPPORT 1714
58 MAY NOT QUALIFY 1677
59 MAY NOT SELL 1672
60 MAY NOT PAY 1668
61 MAY NOT COPY 1624
62 MAY NOT ENTER 1582
63 MAY NOT REPRESENT 1582
64 MAY NOT RETURN 1472
65 MAY NOT BECOME 1464
66 MAY NOT PARTICIPATE 1461
67 MAY NOT TRANSFER 1458
68 MAY NOT AFFECT 1456
69 MAY NOT CONSIDER 1436
70 MAY NOT SHARE 1419
71 MAY NOT PLAY 1407
72 MAY NOT PRODUCE 1402
73 MAY NOT SUIT 1366
74 MAY NOT WISH 1359
75 MAY NOT END 1345
76 MAY NOT SURVIVE 1330
77 MAY NOT REALISE 1326
78 MAY NOT RESPOND 1323
79 MAY NOT ADD 1305
80 MAY NOT RESULT 1300
81 MAY NOT REACH 1299
82 MAY NOT BRING 1261
83 MAY NOT DISPLAY 1235
84 MAY NOT EXPERIENCE 1181
85 MAY NOT MODIFY 1174
86 MAY NOT RUN 1166
87 MAY NOT PERFORM 1106
88 MAY NOT LEAVE 1090
89 MAY NOT APPEAL 1084
90 MAY NOT START 1057
91 MAY NOT REMOVE 1044
92 MAY NOT LIVE 1034
93 MAY NOT SERVE 1031
94 MAY NOT HEAR 1017
95 MAY NOT APPRECIATE 1006
96 MAY NOT CARRY 999
97 MAY NOT LEAD 989
98 MAY NOT TURN 983
99 MAY NOT OPERATE 965
100 MAY NOT ENJOY 959
A2:
add, agree, become, believe, bring, care, copy, cover, enter, fit, happen, hold, include,
match, matter, mean, notice, offer, receive, return, sell, serve, share, sound, suit, turn, wish
B1:
accept, allow, appear, apply, consider, contain, display, exist, experience, lead, operate,
perform, produce, provide, reach, realize, recognize, remove, require, result, seem, support, transfer