Let's ask this gentleman some questions you've just arrived in London at
St Pancras station "it's a beautiful day are you going to walk into the centre of
town?" "Probably" - "How long will it take? -"it'll probably take about 20 minutes"
that's cool ok let's jump ahead and catch up with him at the British Museum. "Are you
going to visit the British Museum today?" - "Probably not, there's a long queue and
it's probably going to take at least an hour to get in." fine. what next?
ah! you're at Buckingham Palace now "Are you going to visit the Queen?" - "Probably not" I
understand but can you express yourself in a more interesting? way "What are you
doing now?", "I'm hungry I'll probably get some lunch". Could you say something other
than PROBABLY London is famous for its pubs "Are you gonna get a drink this
evening?" - "Probably, I'll probably be thirsty after all this walking." Again
probably probably probably boring -er isn't he. I wouldn't have a drink with him
hello and welcome LetThemTalkk so can you use the word probably in
everyday conversation? Well actually of course you can but I needed a catchy
title for the video if it was called something like "we recommend that you use
the word probably less often" no one would be interested we also needed a
thumbnail of me no doubt pointing angrily at the camera but don't
worry I'm not angry, I never get angry but no one wants to see a smiling face
and a wave we want conflict in our videos
quite the opposite what we want in our real lives
Strange, Isn't it? Anyway I'm getting sidetracked. The word probably is indeed
an overused word (I'm pointing again) so yes
think about using it less often and try some of the many other ways we have in
English to express probability and this is what I'm going to show you today.
let's start with TO BE LIKELY TO or TO BE UNLIKELY TO and this means that
you are confident that something will, or will not, happen in the future.
many people will place another word before LIKELY, IT'S PRETTY LIKELY, IT'S
VERY LIKELY or IT'S MOST LIKELY and the same with UNLIKELY, IT'S RATER UNLIKELY
IT'S FAIRLY UNLIKELY. now this is quite common in conversation and in written
English so for example "it's very likely that I'll change my job in the next six
months." "It's most unlikely that we'll finish this project by the deadline." "They
said that it's pretty likely that she'll be out of hospital by the weekend." LIKELY
and UNLIKELY can be used in the past tense "I told her that it was unlikely
that the snake that bit her was venomous." the noun is LIKELIHOOD which
is a synonym of the word probability sometimes the word probability sounds a
little too technical LIKELIHOOD sounds a little softer and more natural in
everyday situations for example "The likelihood of me becoming a famous belly
dancer is pretty remote." next we're going to look at NO DOUBT now we have a video
just on this phrase link to that somewhere up here. When NO DOUBT
starts a phrase there is a doubt albeit a small one sounds confusing if there is
ZERO doubt then you say THERE IS NO DOUBT or WITHOUT A DOUBT so NO DOUBT
means "I think it's very likely." "He's always late and no doubt he'll be late
again." remember no doubt means I think probably
does not mean certainly. "No doubt you'll be tired after your long journey."
"Actually no I'm not tired at all I slept on the plane." RECKON or I RECKON
means "I think it's likely based on my calculations" it's used like I THINK, I
BELIEVE but it has a higher degree of certainty. Your assessment on the outcome
is a bit more scientific "I reckon she'll get about 65% in the maths exam" I
THINK SO or BELIEVE SO you can also say RECKON SO for a short reply for example
"Do you think he'll go to prison for hitting the policeman?", "Yes I reckon so"
now remember you can also use SHOULD for probability SHOULD is most often used
for obligation and recommendations and criticism but you can also use should
when you strongly believe in an estimate of an amount of time or a price or a
quantity or something like that for example "it should take about an hour to
do this I'll call you when I'm finished." "I should be free on Wednesday we can
meet up then" I should be free means I'll probably be free. Now I'm sure
you know MAY and MiGHT both of which you use for possibility we have a video about that
link in the description but did you know that if you add WELL after MAY or MIGHT
so you say MAY WELL or MIGHT WELL this raises the level of probability
suggested by the speaker they both mean "I'm very confident that it's true" so for
example "I did very badly, I may well have to retake these exams." "this might well be
the best film you see all year." the negative is MIGHT WELL NOT or MAY WELL
NOT which has a similar meaning to PROBABLY WON'T
"she may well not want to eat your pineapple and mushroom pizza."
now don't confuse MIGHT WELL with MIGHT AS WELL which is a totally different
expression with a different meaning MIGHT AS WELL means I have no reason not to do
this for example "I've missed my train might as well go to the café for the
next hour until the next one leaves." we'll look at this in more detail in
another video but don't confuse these two MIGHT AS WELL and MIGHT WELL they
are pretty different finally we have DARE SAY. DARE SAY goes before a pronoun
or a noun in a means "we believe that something is true." "I dare say you
heard what happened to Johnny." "yeah!" "I dare say you'll be wanting more videos
about grammar won't you?" Now it's your turn we are going back to London are we
going to ask this "gentleman" the same questions again but this time it's you
that has to give the answers can you respond to the questions without using
the word probably that's your challenge remember that there is more than one
correct answer are you ready for the first question? "It's a beautiful day are
you going to walk into the center of town?"
" it should take about 20 minutes."
"Are you going to visit the British Museum?"
"It's extremely unlikely there's a long queue and no
doubt it's going to take at least an hour to get in." Now you're a Buckingham
Palace "Are you going to visit the Queen?"
"I doubt it, I dare say I'm not invited...again."
- "I'm hungry, I might well get some lunch."
"Are you going get some English food?"
"Unlikely I want something a bit more spicy."
"are you going get it a drink this evening?"
"Very likely, no doubt be thirsty after this walking."
if you got the answers right, well done!
swing by and come and have a drink with me if not try again and see you later.