In this lesson we are going to look at making predications about the future. Let’s warm up by looking at the pictures below and answering the questions underneath;
When was the last time that you flew by plane?
Do you feel safe flying by plane? And how safe do you know flying is?
Do you pay attention to the safety instructions before taking off?
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Exercise
Now let’s have a look at a gap filling exercise that shows some of the different way that we can talk about the future. The words that fit into the gaps are below and I have coloured them into word type, nouns, adjectives, adverbs and modal verbs.
Unlikely, likely, probably, probably, could, may, certainly, certainly and chance.
1) It is very ______ that your plane will crash.
2) Even if it does you will ______ be fine, because 95% of people in plane crashes survive.
3) So, if you’re worried about getting on that plane, don’t be, because you will almost ______ survive the journey.
4) You are more ______ to have an accident on the way to the airport.
5) You have quite a good ______ of living to be 100.
6) Modern medicine _____ well make the chances higher still during your lifetime.
7) You ______ won’t die in a plane crash and ______ live to be 100.
8) But the bad news is, you almost ______ won’t win the lottery.
How did you get on? The answers are at the bottom of the page if you would like to check them.
Now let’s have a look at the different forms that we have used.
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Grammar
Future possibility with adverbs:
subject + will adverbs + verb.
“Even if it does you’ll probably be fine, because 95% of people in plane crashes survive”.
Notice the adverb goes between the auxiliary verb will and the main verb in positive sentences.
subject + adverbs + won’t +verb.
“You probably won’t die in a plane crash”.
Notice the adverb goes before the negative auxiliary verb won’t and then the main verb.
Future possibility with adjectives:
subject + to be + adjectives + verb in infinitive form.
You are more likely to have an accident on the way to the airport.
Remember that verbs that follow an adjective are usually in the infinitive (-to) form.
subject + to be + adjectives that + relative clause.
“It is very unlikely that your plane will crash”.
Future possibility with nouns:
Subject + verb + noun + that + relative clause.
"There is a chance that you will live to be 100”.
Subject + verb + noun + of + gerund.
“You have quite a good chance of living to be 100”.
Future possibility with modal verbs:
Subject + modal verb + main verb.
“You might live to be 100”.
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Vocabulary
Now, let’s have a think about vocabulary. On the table below I have listed some of the most common adverbs and adjective of probability. Can you think of anymore?
What about nouns? Here are a couple of suggestions for nouns that can be used to describe probability. I have given some guideline percentages for the strength of meaning.
a certainty (100%), a likelihood (75%), a possibility (50%), a chance (25%).
Can you think of anymore?
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Free Practice
Let’s practice using these structures in real life. Try answering the following questions that are based on real predications about the future. Can you come up with a couple of different ways of structuring your answer?
In the future, how likely is it that…
… humans live on another planet?
… robots start to do all of our jobs for us?
… we will be able to communicate with other people using our thoughts?
… there will be a revolution in China?
… we will stop driving cars ourselves?
Try writing out your answers and if you would like me to give some feedback on them then post them in the comments section below.
The full article that I have used for the questions inspiration can be found here and is an interesting read on its own - https://bestlifeonline.com/crazy-future-predictions/
I hope this was helpful, if you have any questions then either get in contact with me via email, or write a question in the comments section below.
Best,
Joel White.
Answers:
1) It’s very unlikely that your plane will crash.
2) Even if it does you’ll probably be fine, because 95% of people in plane crashes survive.
3) So, if you’re worried about getting on that plane, don’t be, because you’ll almost certainly survive the journey.
4) You’re more likely to have an accident on the way to the airport.
5) You have quite a good chance of living to be 100.
6) Modern medicine may well make the chances higher still during your lifetime.
7) You probably won’t die in a plane crash and could live to be 100.
8) But the bad news is, you almost certainly won’t win the lottery.
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