核心问题
（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?
词典解答
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:
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I may be going back in the fall. (Dreiser) 我或许在秋天回来。
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He may not be there. (Palmer) 他或许不在那儿。
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You may well say so. 你这样说是有理由的。
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He might well be in neighbourhood. 他很可能在邻居家。
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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。
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He might well attend the meeting instead of me. (CGEL) 他很有可能代替我出席会议。