1. Adverbs and modals expressing probability
He will probably/certainly get on touch with us.
They may/ might/ could move to a bigger house.
She probably/ certainly won’t come back before midnight.

2. Others ways of expressing probability
I expect he’ll go aboard.
I shouldn’t think she’ll be promoted.
I doubt if he’ll get into trouble.

3. ‘If’ and ‘unless’+ Present Simple tense
The firm may make a profit if they attract new customers.
The firm certainly won’t make a profit unless they attract new customers.

4. ‘Will’ and ‘going to’
Those plants will die unless you water them.
Look at that plant – I think it’s going die.

5. ‘Will be doing’ and ‘will have done’
Next summer they’ll be living in Berlin.
By next summer they will have moved to Berlin.

Example:

1. Write prediction for the following conditions using.
(Certainly, probably, perhaps, probably not, certainly not.)

(a) rain tomorrow (75% chance)
(b) taxes be cut (20%)
(c) result coming today(100%)
(d) shop be open(50%)
(e) terrorist be caught (0%)

Answers:

(a) It’ll probably rain tomorrow.
(b) The taxes may be cut.
(c) The result will certainly come today.
(d) The shop may be opened.
(e) The terrorist certainly won’t be caught.

Exercise:

1. Write prediction for the following conditions using
(Certainly, probably, perhaps, probably not, certainly not.)

(a) financial crisis (75% chance)
(b) salary increase (20%)
(c) constitution writing (100%)
(d) rain tomorrow (50%)
(e) criminal be caught (0%)