Tonight’s song is strange and quiet: a guitar riff that goes round and round, and a man who isn’t sure of anything. He thinks he saw a light, but he might be wrong.
Learn from Songs · Unit 8: Modals · B1–B2
I Might Be Wrong
Radiohead’s hypnotic song of doubt: might, may, could for present possibility, might not / can’t, and could have and might have for the past (I could have sworn I saw…), with Philo, Sophia, Marcos and Demetria.
SOPHIA
MARCOS
That’s me every morning. Did I lock the door? I might have.
SOPHIA
Exactly. When we aren’t sure, English gives us a whole family of little words: might, may, could.
PHILO
The words of a careful man.
Before you listen: the song
Oxford, 2001
Radiohead are a band from Oxfordshire, in England. After the huge success of OK Computer (1997), they began to experiment with electronic sounds and strange song structures. In 2000 and 2001 they released two albums from the same recording sessions, Kid A and Amnesiac.
“I Might Be Wrong” is on Amnesiac and was released as a single in 2001. It is built on a low, repeating guitar riff by Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’Brien, and a very simple lyric. That year the band also named a live album after it: I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings.
In the song, the singer might be wrong, but he could have sworn he saw a light. He doesn’t want to look back: he wants to think about the good times. He isn’t sure, and the music never quite tells us either.
It is wise to say “I might be wrong.”
Listen: certain or not?
PHILO
Listen once. What does he think he saw? Is he sure?
SOPHIA
Listen to the riff that never stops. Then answer Section A.
🌫️ Listen to the song: “I Might Be Wrong” (Radiohead, 2001), by Radiohead.Find the recording →
📜 Read the words while you listen: “I Might Be Wrong”, Radiohead.Read the lyrics →
Might, may, could: maybe true now
MARCOS
I might be wrong. He may be at home. It could be a ghost.
SOPHIA
might / may / could + infinitive = perhaps it is true. might is the most common in conversation; may is a little more formal. All three are about 50%.
Might not, can’t, must
DEMETRIA
He might not know. (Perhaps he doesn’t.) It can’t be a ghost! (I’m sure it isn’t.) It must be the moon. (I’m sure it is.)
SOPHIA
Negative possibility: might not / may not (not “couldn’t” for 50%). Certainty: must (yes) and can’t (no).
Might have, could have: maybe in the past
PHILO
I might have left the lamp on. He could have gone home. I could have sworn I saw a light.
SOPHIA
might / could + have + past participle = perhaps it happened. I could have sworn… = I was sure (but now I’m not). Careful: could of is a spelling mistake: it’s could have or could’ve.
Sophia’s comparison: the wisest man
SOPHIA
The oracle at Delphi said that no one was wiser than Socrates. Socrates was amazed, because he knew he knew nothing. In the end he decided: perhaps that is it. I know that I don’t know.
PHILO
And the Proverbs say: Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
MARCOS
So saying “I might be wrong” makes me wise? Excellent.
Sophia’s summary
| Words and forms | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| might / may / could + infinitive | possible now | I might be wrong. |
| might not / may not | possibly not | He might not know. |
| must / can’t | sure yes / sure no | It can’t be a ghost. |
| might / could + have + past participle | possible in the past | I might have left it on. |
| I could have sworn… | I was sure, but… | I could have sworn I saw a light. |
Practice
Listen to the song for Section A, then do the rest. Press “Check my answers” at the end. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Listen: the song
Listen to the song and choose the best answer.
1. What does the singer think he saw?
2. Is he sure?
3. What does he want to think about?
4. What is the music built on?
5. Which album is the song on?
6. Where are Radiohead from?
B · Grammar and vocabulary
Write the missing word or words.
7. I’m not sure. I be wrong.
8. That be a ghost. Ghosts don’t exist!
9. He’s not answering. He not be at home.
10. I might left the lamp on. (perhaps in the past)
11. I could have I saw a light! (swear)
12. It’s so cold. It be winter already! (sure)
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
13. “I could of seen it.”
14. “He might not know the answer.”
15. “She mights be late.”
16. “It can’t be true!”
Talk and write
Discussion and writing
Mystery objects. Your teacher hides an object in a bag. Guess what it is: It might be…, It could be…, It can’t be…, It must be…
Discuss. 1. Is it hard for you to say “I might be wrong”? 2. Have you ever been sure you saw something, and then found you were wrong? 3. Why do some people never admit they are wrong?
Write (100–120 words). A strange noise. Last night you heard something strange. Write about what it might have been, what it could have been, and what it can’t have been.
Now play the gamebook: a light in the Museum, and a watchman who might be wrong.Play the gamebook →