*There is an interactive word tree exercise for this B2 grammar here.
B2 English Grammar Profile point 152 in MODALITY overlaps many other modality points. So here we will cover those not already covered elsewhere. It is defined as:
the full range of expressions with ‘be’ + infinitive (‘be likely to’, ‘be due to’, ‘be meant to’, ‘be bound to’, ‘be sure to’, ‘be certain to’, ‘be obliged to’) with present and past forms of ‘be’ and with modal ‘will’
Point 155:
‘be’ (+modifier) ‘likely to’ to talk about probability
Point 167:
‘be’ (+ modifier) ‘bound to’ to talk about something certain or inevitable.
Point 170:
‘BE OBLIGED TO’, OBLIGATION
to talk about an external obligation, especially in institutional contexts.
Point 172:
‘be meant to’ to talk about ideal states
B1 vocab in the top 50 Ngrams with ‘BE likely to’:
continue (2)
develop (1)
experience (1)
increase (2)
lead (1)
likely (49) *this is already B1
produce (1)
remain (2)
result (1)
An iWeb search for _vb likely to _vvi
1 ARE LIKELY TO SEE 4493
2 ARE LIKELY TO GET 4022
3 IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE 3851
Outlook India4 IS LIKELY TO CAUSE 3534
5 ARE LIKELY TO FIND 3350
6 IS LIKELY TO BECOME 3067
7 IS LIKELY TO GET 2940
8 IS LIKELY TO INCREASE 2871
9 IS LIKELY TO REMAIN 2701
10 IS LIKELY TO TAKE 2602
11 IS LIKELY TO MAKE 2491
12 IS LIKELY TO RESULT 2439
13 IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN 2335
14 ARE LIKELY TO BECOME 2300
15 IS LIKELY TO COME 2135
16 IS LIKELY TO OCCUR 2117
17 ‘RE LIKELY TO SEE 2045
Irish Examiner18 IS LIKELY TO CHANGE 2001
19 IS LIKELY TO LEAD 1978
20 ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE 1895
21 ARE LIKELY TO COME 1827
22 ‘RE LIKELY TO FIND 1790
23 ARE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER 1724
24 ARE LIKELY TO MAKE 1718
25 ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN 1633
26 IS LIKELY TO GO 1601
27 ARE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE 1600
28 ‘RE LIKELY TO GET 1578
29 IS LIKELY TO SEE 1559
30 ARE LIKELY TO NEED 1465
31 ARE LIKELY TO TAKE 1436
32 ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR 1420
33 ARE LIKELY TO INCREASE 1365
34 ARE LIKELY TO USE 1317
35 ARE LIKELY TO FACE 1260
36 ARE LIKELY TO GO 1209
37 ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE 1200
38 IS LIKELY TO GROW 1190
39 IS LIKELY TO AFFECT 1120
40 ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE 1060
41 IS LIKELY TO COST 1008
42 ARE LIKELY TO FEEL 971
43 IS LIKELY TO INCLUDE 932
44 IS LIKELY TO FALL 920
45 IS LIKELY TO GIVE 912
46 ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP 897
47 ARE LIKELY TO RECEIVE 896
48 ARE LIKELY TO INCLUDE 864
49 IS LIKELY TO PRODUCE 861
50 IS LIKELY TO FACE 857
‘meant to’ is B1 in the EVP
1 IS MEANT TO HELP 2262
2 IS MEANT TO PROVIDE 1446
The Daily Progress3 ARE MEANT TO HELP 1276
4 IS MEANT TO GIVE 1074
5 IS MEANT TO MAKE 845
6 ARE MEANT TO PROVIDE 776
7 IS MEANT TO SERVE 743
8 IS MEANT TO REPRESENT 683
9 IS MEANT TO PROTECT 657
10 IS MEANT TO SHOW 591
11 ARE MEANT TO MAKE 584
12 ARE MEANT TO GIVE 493
13 ARE MEANT TO PROTECT 461
14 IS MEANT TO KEEP 442
15 IS MEANT TO WORK 442
16 IS MEANT TO BRING 434
17 ARE MEANT TO SERVE 428
18 IS MEANT TO ENCOURAGE 378
19 ARE MEANT TO REPRESENT 366
20 WAS MEANT TO HELP 361
1 ‘RE BOUND TO FIND 1728
2 ARE BOUND TO FIND 1254
3 WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN 1198
4 ARE BOUND TO GET 1046
5 IS BOUND TO HAPPEN 1015
6 IS BOUND TO MAKE 948
7 ARE BOUND TO HAPPEN 930
8 IS BOUND TO GET 927
9 ARE BOUND TO MAKE 635
10 ‘RE BOUND TO GET 608
11 IS BOUND TO COME 507
12 IS BOUND TO BECOME 470
13 ARE BOUND TO COME 452
14 IS BOUND TO FAIL 424
15 ‘S BOUND TO HAPPEN 393
International Business Times16 ‘RE BOUND TO SEE 390
17 ARE BOUND TO LOVE 375
18 ARE BOUND TO SEE 359
19 IS BOUND TO BRING 306
20 IS BOUND TO CAUSE 303
1 BE OBLIGED TO PAY 407
2 IS OBLIGED TO PAY 292
3 ARE OBLIGED TO PAY 254
4 IS OBLIGED TO PROVIDE 221
5 ARE OBLIGED TO PROVIDE 219
6 IS OBLIGED TO MAKE 200
7 ARE OBLIGED TO TAKE 178
8 ARE OBLIGED TO MAKE 172
9 WAS OBLIGED TO LEAVE 164
KT Press10 IS OBLIGED TO TAKE 155
11 ARE OBLIGED TO GIVE 149
12 BE OBLIGED TO GIVE 148
13 BE OBLIGED TO MAKE 147
14 ARE OBLIGED TO FOLLOW 142
15 WAS OBLIGED TO TAKE 141
16 WAS OBLIGED TO GIVE 135
17 IS OBLIGED TO GIVE 125
18 BE OBLIGED TO TAKE 123
19 BE OBLIGED TO PROVIDE 119
20 WAS OBLIGED TO GO 118
is meant to suggest