Episode 27
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Hi, everybody! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently.
- Do you know how to express probability in English?
Probably, but just in case, let's practice with some basic expressions.
In the second part, we will practice fluency with a short mini-story of questions and answers.
Very good. When we talk, we usually say things that are true, or at least we believe them to be true. For example, "it's cold today," but we can also say things that we don't know one hundred percent if they are true.
In today's episode, we will learn some phrases and words used to express probability. I'm sure you already know some of these expressions, and seeing them with some examples will help you consolidate them. The key is to hear them in context and over time, repeating them several times. Don't try to learn them all in one day.
Since these expressions are used a lot, it will be easy to remember and use them.
Imagine the following situation: Someone doesn't know where the keys are.
Example:
- Where are the keys? I have to go out, and I can't find them.
They might be in the room.
They may be in the room.
They could be in the room.
See? "They might/may/could be in the room" indicates an assumption, a certain probability. You think they are, with some probability, in the room when you say, "they might/may/could be in the room."
Note that if you say: "They are in the room," this means that you know for sure that they are there, but if you say "they might/may/could be in the room," then it is a probability.
Let's learn now how to make guesses about the past.
Here we'll use may have, might have, or could have.
Examples:
"I didn't receive your invitation. It may have got lost in the mail."
"It's late. Your sister might have arrived by now."
"Where is she? She could have got lost."
Note that if you say:
"In the summer, it could be very hot here."
This means that sometimes it can be very hot in the summer. Here we use "could" to make general statements about the past.
But if we use may have, might have, or could have, then it is a probability in the past.
And how do we express impossibility?
We use the word cannot (can't) to say that something is impossible:
Examples:
"Are you sure about that? That can't be correct."
"You cannot be serious!"
How do we express certainty?
We use MUST when we are sure that something is true.
Examples:
"You didn't get enough sleep last night. You must be tired."
"You skipped lunch today. You must be starving."
We also use SHOULD to suggest that something is true.
Examples:
"Ask your mom. She should know when the cell phone is."
"It's almost lunchtime. Your dad should arrive soon."
We use must have and should have for the past:
Examples:
"Kelley looks happy. She must have heard the good news."
"It’s nearly ten o'clock. He should have arrived by now."
Okay. We have learned several ways of expressing probability in English. However, keep in mind that if you want to remember what you learn, it is better not to memorize. My recommendation is that you listen to the episode several times during the week to consolidate the information. Through context and with a bit of help, you can learn English effectively.
Now let’s move on to the next session.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING
Mini-Story: Speaking Practice
Answer the questions aloud with short and quick responses. Repeat the Mini-Story several times to improve your speaking and listening.
And just like that, I'll tell a story with questions and answers.
Are you ready?
Tom has gone out shopping, or maybe he's gone out for a coffee. We don't know.
Has Tom gone out?
Yes, Tom's out. He's gone out. Maybe he's out shopping, or maybe he's gone out for a coffee.
Is it possible he's having a coffee?
Yes, it is possible. He could be having a coffee in a coffee shop.
What kind of drink could Tom be having?
A tea?
No, not tea. Coffee. He might be having a coffee.
Tom may be alone or with his girlfriend, who also likes shopping and drink coffee.
Is it possible that Tom is at the North Pole?
No, it can't be possible. He can't be at the North Pole.
Could he be alone?
Yes, he could be. Or he might be with his girlfriend.
What two things does Tom's girlfriend like to do?
Shopping and drinking coffee.
Maybe Tom has simply stayed at home.
Has Tom stayed at home?
Maybe he has. Maybe he stayed at home, but perhaps he's gone out for a coffee.
Where could Tom possibly be?
He could be at home. He may be there.
The truth is, nobody knows where Tom is.
Does anyone know where Tom is?
No, nobody knows. Nobody does.
What don't we know about Tom?
Where he is, no one knows where he is.
Tom must be coming home for lunch soon.
Is Tom likely to come home for lunch?
Yes, it's likely. Very likely. He must come home for lunch soon.
What's Tom coming home for?
Lunch. He's coming home to eat.
Where will he be soon?
Home. He'll be home soon.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
probability
the likelihood that something is true or will happen.
could
used to describe a possible situation.
assumption
an idea accepted as possible without proof.
cannot
used to say that something is impossible.
might
used to show that something is possible.
must
used when you are very sure something is true.
may
used to express possibility.
should
used to suggest that something is likely.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
black friady
I really try to follow your advice and listen with the shadowing method many times.