Hi, Tim here with another 9 to 5 English lesson in today's lesson, we're going to learn how to talk about possibility.

What do I mean by possibility?

I mean answering questions like, Will the stock market go up?

Will you get that job you applied for?

Will your manager be in a good mood today?

Maybe Probably, Or probably not.

This is how we talk about possibility.

Let's start with.

Probably that means that you are pretty sure something will happen.

You're not certain it's not 100% but you can say you're fairly certain that something will happen.

That's like saying it's 80 or 90%.

Another way of saying the same thing is there's a really good chance.

In that case, Chance doesn't mean opportunity.

It means probability.

How about a bit of practice with the's expressions for saying something will probably happen?

Listen to each example, then repeat it for yourself.

Ready?

Let's get started.

Hero will probably take the job at our European office.

It seems likely that our marketing budget will be approved.

There's a really good chance will beat our targets this month.

I'm fairly certain that will pass the safety inspection.

In one of those examples, we used the word likely you can use this word just like probably so we can say something like It will likely rain, but it also works as an adjective.

In other words, you can say that rain is likely, so it can be used to mean both probably and probable.

But what about when you're not so sure?

What if there's a 50% chance of something happening?

Maybe it will.

Maybe it won't well, this is when helping verbs like might may or could are useful.

For example, I might get the job, but I'm not sure.

And if you think a fact might or might not be true, you can say it may be that something is true.

For example, it may be that we can't increase sales.

That's a way of saying maybe we can increase sales, but maybe we can't.

Let's try these different ways of expressing the idea of something may be happening.

Remember to repeat the examples after you hear them.

Well, we might see a drop in sales next month.

Judy could come by this afternoon, but I'm not sure it may be that we need more office space next year.

There's a 50 50 chance we can get this contract.

Great work.

And did you hear another chance?

Expression?

This time, we said there's a 50 50 chance of something happening.

In other words, there's a 50% chance it will and a 50% chance it won't.

It's 50 50.

So we've talked about probably.

And maybe, but what about?

Probably not.

There are a few ways to say that you think something probably won't happen.

For one, you can say that you doubt it will happen to make it even less probable.

You can say you seriously doubt it will happen.

You might also say, I don't think we can count on it happening.

That's just like saying You doubt it will happen.

We also have an adjective that is the opposite of likely, and that's unlikely.

And for extra emphasis, you can say something is highly unlikely.

But here's one tricky thing.

You can say it will likely rain, but you can't say it will Unlikely rain.

That word unlikely is only an adjective, not an adverb, so you can say rain is highly unlikely.

How about some more practice?

Let's try these ways of saying probably not once again repeat the examples after you hear them.

I seriously doubt Den will want to come work for us.

Finishing the project by May is highly unlikely.

There's very little chance that the delivery will be here by noon.

I don't think we can count on nice weather for the event.

Did you notice the chance expression in those examples?

This time, we said there's very little chance of something that just means it probably won't happen.

All right, we've practiced some useful ways of talking about possibility.

But we should really here how this sounds in a conversation.

Let's listen to a short dialogue between Jane and Robert.

They're talking about the possibility of their company moving to another city.

Let's listen.

I hear we might be moving to Chicago.

Actually, I seriously dealt Will do that.

Oh, really?

What have you heard?

Well, it seems likely that will move to Cleveland instead.

Can you hear the possibility expressions?

Jane starts by saying they might move to Chicago, but Robert seriously doubts that will happen.

Instead, he says, it seems likely that they'll move to Cleveland.

Now it's your turn to practice.

We'll repeat the dialogue.

But this time we're going to be about the second speaker's words.

You have to say those parts yourself.

Remember to start by saying You seriously doubt what Jane says then say it seems likely you'll move to Cleveland.

Ready?

Here we go.

I hear we might be moving to Chicago.

Oh, really?

What have you heard?

All right, that's all.

For today's lesson, we've learned some useful ways of talking about possibility and saying, whether you think something will happen or not, we'll be back soon with some more useful English expressions.

Until then, so long and happy learning.