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Agata Sobieraj
Agata Sobieraj
Language Tutor/Translator
Foreign languages have always been my true passion which I devote myslef to every single day. Professionally, I work as a translator and interpreter, English language tutor and an author of language blog. Personally, I pursue my passions through travelling, reading and learning other foreign languages (Italian ♥)
Expressing probability
How to talk about probable or hypothetical situations in English? You surely know that modal verbs such as might, could, may, and even should come in handy here but these are not the only ways to express probability. Certain expressions are also useful. The knowledge of them will enrich your vocabulary and will also help you avoid misunderstandings in conversation in English.
Have a nice reading! 😊
might, could, may
If you’re not 100% sure about something, just use modal verbs as in the example below:
- Hello Kate, have you seen dr. Ramsey today?
- No, darling, I haven’t.
- Well, then, where is he?
- I’m not sure, but he might/may/could be at his lunch break now. It’s noon.
Might, may and could express possibility of about 50% 😊
should
If you are more certain about something than in the example above because "it should be like that", use should:
- What time will you come back home?
- Not sure. The journey takes 2 hours so I should be back around 7 pm.
be certain to
We use this phrase when we are almost 100% sure of something. Of course, you should remember about the appropriate conjugation of to be, according to number, gender and grammatical tense!
I have too much things to do today. I’m certain to work overtime this evening.
He’s certain to fail his exams because of his laziness and lack of motivation.
However, if we want to express the certainty that something will not happen, we just add the particle 'not' before the infinitive; be certain not to:
I have too much things to do today. I’m certain not to go out with my friends this evening.
He’s certain not to pass his exams because of his laziness and lack of motivation.
be bound to
Like the phrase above, we use be bound to when something is very likely:
It was a wise decision to go to England this summer. Your English is bound to improve!
You’re bound to put on weight if you continue overeating like that!
be likely to
At the very beginning, I would like to point out that the meaning of likely has nothing to do with verb to like. So it is worth putting attention to this phrase in order to understand our interlocutor in English. Likely means probably. We use this phrase to express that something is (very) possible:
If you study hard, you’re likely to pass the exam.
Don’t go outside with wet hair. You’re likely to get ill.
However, if we believe that something isn’t going to happen, we use be unlikely to:
If you study hard, you’re unlikely to fail the exam.
Tom has never been to China before. He’s unlikely to understand the language.
tend to
The last of the phrases I have prepared for you in this article is tend to. We use it when we talk about a general tendency to behave in a certain way. So, unlike the other phrases, we refer it to general statements rather than specific situations:
Young drivers tend to have more accidents than the older drivers.
According to scientists, women tend to live longer than men.
That's all for today. I hope you’ve found this article useful. Try to use the expressions mentioned here in your next conversation! Remember, practice makes perfect!