possibility

modal verb + YET

At C2 in the English Vocabulary Profile: could/may/might, etc. yet used to say there is still a possibility that something will happen For example: We may yet one day realize the vision of having the internet in our brains. TED And it seems like it‘s very possible that your nation, despite, actually because of the intense problems you face,  you may yet be the warning light to the world that shines most visibly, most powerfully. TED   NOW corpus search for: _VM yet _VVI 1 MAY YET PROVE 889 2 COULD YET PROVE 662 3 […]

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maybe | perhaps

“Maybe” and the more formal “perhaps” are both adverbs that convey modality related to uncertainty or possibility.  For example: So why did we keep trying when all the adults said it was impossible? Well, maybe it‘s because we‘re kids. We don’t know any better. TED In this context, “maybe” is used to suggest a possible explanation or reason for why the kids kept trying despite the adults saying it was impossible. The speaker is speculating that

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declarative COULD ( past ability | suggestion | possibility ) with a range of verbs

A2 point 52 in MODALITY:

‘could’ with a limited range of verbs to make suggestions.

A2 point 27 in MODALITY:

negative form

B1 point 78 in MODALITY:

affirmative form of ‘could’ to talk about ability.

B1 point 79 in MODALITY:

‘could’ with an increasing range of verbs to make suggestions.

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if CLAUSE + will CLAUSE (FUTURE CONDITIONAL)

Listed at A2, the “future” or “first” conditional in English is a grammatical structure used to discuss possible future events. This structure often expresses a cause and effect relationship, with the effect (main clause) being conditional on the cause (if-clause). The typical structure is: “If” + present simple tense, “will” + verb (base form). The page provides examples of this structure from various sources, including student writings, expert examples, and lines from 1934 movies. It also discusses how different English Grammar Profile points highlight this grammar point.

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IF + present simple

“If + present simple + present simple in the main clause”: This structure is used to talk about things that are always true, such as scientific facts, or to give advice. For example, “If this happens, money only brings him loneliness, not happiness.” Here, the speaker is expressing a general truth or observation about the consequences of a certain situation.

“If + present simple + imperative in the main clause”: This structure is used to give advice or make suggestions. The “if” clause presents a condition, and the imperative in the main clause suggests what should be done if that condition is met. For example, “If you feel sick, see a doctor.” Here, the speaker is giving advice on what to do when feeling sick.

“If + present simple + can in the main clause”: This structure is used to talk about possible or likely situations in the future. The “if” clause sets up a condition, and “can” in the main clause expresses what will be possible if that condition is met. For example, “If we properly invest into data infrastructure and data preparation, all this can be avoided.” Here, the speaker is expressing that a certain undesirable outcome can be avoided if proper investments are made.

These structures are very common in English and are used in various contexts to express conditions and their potential outcomes.

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If + PRESENT SIMPLE + MODAL CLAUSE

In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 74 in the category of CLAUSES/conditional is defined as: PRESENT SIMPLE ‘IF’ CLAUSE + MODAL, FUTURE, POSSIBLE OUTCOME: introduce a possible future condition, with modal verbs in the main clause, to talk about a possible result. A search in TED corpus for expert examples: If you‘ve got a couple of final words you want to share, that would be great. listen So if you look that up, you can hear more of those tunes. listen PELIC

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if you should

C1 points: 114 in CLAUSES/conditional is defined as: subordinate conditional clauses with ‘if you should’, in polite, formal contexts *Most of the English Grammar Profile examples include: ‘if you should have any’ (questions|concerns|problems) + don’t hesitate…’ Therefore, this is offering help or giving advice.  ‘should’ here gives a slight feeling of  ‘it is unlikely’ or

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WOULD + love | prefer (politeness)

This blog post teaches how to express wishes and preferences using verbs like ‘like’ and ‘prefer’. It explains the difference between ‘I’d prefer’ and ‘I prefer’ and how to use ‘would’ to sound more polite and less confrontational. The post also explores examples of ‘would’ with verbs like ‘love’ and ‘hate’.

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will be able to

“Will be able to” is a phrase that expresses future ability or possibility. It means that someone or something has the power, skill, or opportunity to do something later. ‘you will be able to‘ is the 6th most frequent 5-word Ngram in English. iWeb 135,128 Here are some Expert examples: Well, I highly doubt that you will be able to get a job good enough to do that. listen

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adjective + (that) clause

Here’s a student example of an adjective followed by a ‘that’ clause. However, I am sure that  the most useful English for you is American English. PELIC Korean male level 4 writing In the sentence above, the phrase “I am sure that” is an example of epistemic modality. Epistemic modality is a type of linguistic modality that deals with a

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could (possibility)

The modality of “could” refers to its ability to express possibility or potentiality in English. When used in this context, “could” indicates that something is possible or feasible but not definite or certain. It suggests that there is a chance or opportunity for something to happen, but it is not guaranteed. In the English Grammar

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