Just Happen To / Might As Well

Many unplanned events happen in our lives, and we often make decisions quickly, based on those events. The following two expressions are used in these kinds of situations. Both expressions are extremely common among native English speakers, but seldom used by English language learners.

Just Happen To

The conversational just happen to is used in situations where the subject of the sentence is involved in a coincidence. In a coincidence, there is no plan for the action in the main verb to occur.

The simple present & simple past forms of just happen to are followed only with an unintentional verb (ie. to see, to be, to have).


- I just happened to see a hat on sale so I decided to buy it.

- The hat happened to be on sale, and I happened to have enough money, so I bought it. (the speaker didn't plan for the hat to be on sale


If the main verb is intentional (i.e. go), the form of the verb becomes be + ing to reflect a moment in time.

I just happened to be walking by the bar when I heard music inside.

My friend happened to be going downtown the same time as I was, so we decided to go together.

I just happened to be making a phone call when the meteorite struck the phone booth.


Might As Well

The expression might as well is used when all the circumstances surrounding a certain situation are so perfect that the decision to do the verb becomes almost inevitable. It is often used with just happen to. The decision to do the verb is usually spontaneous, rather than planned. It is the structure we use at the exact moment a decision is made about a course of action to be followed.

It is always followed by the root verb in present. It is not used in the past to indicate coincidence. If the speaker wants to express a past action, the preceding verb can be in the simple past.

- I just happened to see a hat on sale so I thought I might as well buy it.

(i.e. I needed a hat, I had enough money in my pocket, the hat was on sale -- all the circumstances were perfect).

- I'm already wet from the rain, it's quite hot today, and the water in the pool is warm. I might as well go swimming.

- I just happened to be in the neighbourhood so I figured I might as well pay her a visit.


Also, might as well is used sometimes in situations where there is no good alternative to a number of choices, and the speaker makes a choice about which s/he is not completely happy.

- I don't really care if we go to a movie or to the park or stay home. We might as well just stay home.

In this use of might as well (an uninteresting choice), it is possible to use a past form. In such cases, might as well is followed by have + root verb.

- Today, I got in a car accident and I lost my wallet. I might as well have stayed home.



If you are an English language learner, please feel free to create your own example using one or both of these expressions, and post it using the Comments feature. I will let you know whether or not it is correct, and, if it isn't, how to fix it.


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