Stop Saying PROBABLY: Building an ADVANCED English Vocabulary

[Music] let's ask this gentleman some questions you've just arrived in London Hank bus station it's a beautiful day where you go to walk into the center of town probably how long will it take will probably take about 20 minutes that's cool okay 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 gonna take at least an hour to get in fine what next ah you're a a palace now are you going to visit the Queen okay 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 runs could you say something other than probably London is famous for its pups are you gonna get a queen this evening probably I'll probably be thirsty after all this walking again probably probably probably boring reasoning will never drink with him hello and welcome to let them talk so can you use the word probably in everyday conversation where I 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 punching 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 real lives strangers in air anyway and getting sidetracked the word probably is indeed an over used word at least some point 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 ought 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 rather 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 likelihood which is a synonym of the word probability sometimes the word probability sounds a little too technical likelihood sound it'll 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 now when no doubt starts a phrase there is a doubt will be 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 okay 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 right 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 sure it's 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 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 you also should be free means I'll probably be free now I'm sure you know May and Mike both of yous for possibility we have a video about that link in the description but did you know that if you add well after May or Mike 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 on 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 of a different meaning mic as well means I have no reason not to do this for example I've missed my train might as well go to the cafe 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 okay I dare say you heard what happened to Johnny yeah I dare say you'll be wanting more videos about grammar don'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 I reckon so how long will it take should take about 20 minutes we're going to visit the British Museum it's extremely unlikely there's a long queue and no doubt it's going to taste it please an hour to get in now you're a buckingham palace we're going to visit the Queen I doubt it I dare say I'm not invited what are you doing now I'm hungry might well get some lunch are you gonna get some English food [Music] unlikely I want something a bit more spicy Leung is famous for his pubs are you gonna get it tuned this evening very likely no doubt be thirsty after this walking if you're the answer tracked well done swing buying some ravaging with me if not try again and see you later [Music]

Channel: LetThemTalkTV

Views: 65,460

Keywords: YT:C=on, Letthemtalktv, Probably, advanced English, Advanced vocabulary, Probability, to be likely, Learn English, EFL, ESL, English teacher, British pronunciation, Gideon

Id: P_zipQOgkoQ

Length: 10min 13sec (613 seconds)

Published: Tue May 07 2019