Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Declaratives with may as well and might (just) as well

414e

May as well

and might (just) as well are commonly used for making suggestions in

everyday conversation. Might (just) as well is more frequent. It is used to suggest

what the speaker considers the easiest/most logical course of action:

[speaker A is about to go to the counter in a café to buy a glass of orange juice

for B]

A: Do you want ice?

B: Er, no I’m fine. 

A: You sure. 

B: Yep. That’s grand. 

A: I’m quite happy to go. I’ll take that. 

I may as well take the tray back 

anyway.

[speakers are discussing whether to rent a video for home viewing]

A: They’re about three quid a day to rent though, aren’t they?

B: Mm, that’s true. Yeah.

A: 

We might as well go to the cinema

.

A: 

You might as well fill all the details you’ve got down on that front page

.

B: Mm.