Speak English Now Podcast: Learn English | Speak English without grammar. #027 How we express probability
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Nov 21, 2017 This podcast discusses how to express probability in English, focusing on phrases and words used to convey uncertainty. It also covers expressing impossibility and certainty. They speculate about Tom's whereabouts and conclude with a mini story to improve speech.
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Expressing Probability vs Certainty
- Using 'might', 'may', or 'could' expresses probability rather than certainty.
- Saying "they are in the room" implies definite knowledge, unlike the probabilistic modals.
Expressing Past Probability
- 'May have', 'might have', and 'could have' express guesses about past events with some probability.
- 'Could' alone can make general statements about the past, not just probability.
Expressing Impossibility
- We use "cannot" or "can't" to express that something is impossible.
- Examples: "That can't be correct," and "You cannot be serious."