Life Advanced Unit 4b
Probability
Later today …
It might rain later. The rain will
definitely clear, but
it’ll be cloudy for
the rest of the day.
The rain should move north and
the sun may well come out
It’s bound to for a few hours this afternoon.
freeze overnight.
Presentation
We can express probability in different ways. Other adverbs of certainty go before a main verb and
after the auxiliary in affirmative sentences and before
Modal verbs: may, might, could, should
the auxiliary verb in negative sentences:
Use may, might and could to talk about the probability
The clouds will probably disappear soon.
that something is true now or will happen in the future.
It definitely won’t rain today.
Their meaning is essentially the same.
The adjective (un)likely
It may/could/might snow later.
Likely and unlikely are adjectives (not adverbs). We can
Use may well / might well / could well to say that
use subject 1 be 1 likely/unlikely or it is likely/unlikely +
something is quite probable:
that 1 clause:
If the rain stops, we may well have some sunshine later.
The temperature is (un)likely to rise above zero degrees today.
Might not and may not express future possibility, but It’s (un)likely that it’ll freeze tonight.
we don’t use could not in this way: The weather forecast
Be likely to and will probably have the same meaning,
could be true, but it might not be.
but be likely to is more formal.
(don’t say: The forecast might be true, but it could not be.)
Other common adjectives of probability are bound and
Use should to describe a positive situation that you sure. We use be bound 1 to 1 infinitive and be sure
expect to happen: The rain is clearing so we should have 1 to 1 infinitive to say that you think something is
sunshine later. certain to happen or to be true:
(don’t say: There’s a lot of cloud so we shouldn’t have
It’s bound to rain later.
any sunshine.)
It’s sure to freeze tonight.
Adverbs: perhaps, maybe, probably, almost Noun phrases
certainly, almost definitely
Noun phrases such as The likelihood is, The chances are,
Perhaps and maybe go at the beginning of a sentence: There’s a good chance and There’s no doubt are followed
Maybe it’ll snow later. by that 1 a clause: The likelihood is that there’ll be
severe thunderstorms overnight.
Practical Grammar 3 1 © National Geographic Learning
Advanced Unit 4b
Exercises
1 Write the words in the correct order.
1 may well the tornado at midday hit Florida
The tornado may well hit Florida at midday.
2 the be true weather forecast could be might not but it
3 should weather think we month warmer next have I
4 it’ll tonight almost certainly snow
5 won’t the definitely reach hurricane land
6 frost unlikely it’s that week have we’ll this
7 tonight sure to they’re rain forecast
8 the will that likelihood is weather more the become changeable
2 Complete the sentences with one word. Different words are possible in one sentence.
1 It may be true that we need to use more renewable energies.
2 all our energy will come from wind power in the future.
3 They’ll certainly build more nuclear power stations.
4 The likelihood is governments will spend more on protection from extreme weather.
5 There’s doubt among most scientists that the global climate is changing.
6 As oil runs out, there’s a chance that car engine will use alternative fuels.
3 Rewrite the first sentence using the word in brackets.
1 I expect the rain to stop and then we’ll have some sunshine afterwards. (should)
I expect the rain to stop and then we should have some sunshine afterwards.
2 It’s possible that we won’t get any sunshine today. (might)
We any sunshine today.
3 It’s quite probable that we’ll have rain later. (may well)
rain later.
4 The hurricane will probably miss this part of the country. (maybe)
this part of the country.
5 I’m sure it will freeze tonight. (definitely)
tonight.
6 This winter, the temperatures will probably be the lowest in years. (bound)
This winter, the temperatures in years.
7 We’re sure to have some very hot summers in the next few decades. (likely)
some very hot summer in the next few decades.
8 The roads will definitely be blocked with snow tomorrow morning. (doubt)
There’s be blocked with snow tomorrow morning.
Practical Grammar 3 2 © National Geographic Learning
