التنبؤ بالمستقبل: استخدام 'Likely' و 'Unlikely' (التحوط)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'likely' and 'unlikely' to express probability with more precision and formality than 'maybe' or 'probably'.
- Use 'Subject + be + likely + to + verb' for personal predictions: 'He is likely to win.'
- Use 'It + be + likely + that + clause' for general situations: 'It is likely that prices will rise.'
- Modify with 'highly', 'more than', or 'very' to adjust the strength of the prediction.
نظرة عامة
Hedging أو ما نسميه بالعربية «التحوط اللغوي» واحدة من أرقى المهارات التي تميز المتحدث المتمكن (C1) عن غيره. في مستويات اللغة المتقدمة، لا نكتفي بنقل المعلومات كحقائق مطلقة، بل نحتاج إلى أداة تمنحنا القدرة على التعبير عن الاحتمالات بدقة وموضوعية. هنا يأتي دور المصطلحين likely و unlikely كأدوات أساسية في ترسانتك اللغوية.It will rain (سوف تمطر)، وهو جزم قد لا تملك دليلاً عليه، نستخدم It is likely to rain (من المرجح أن تمطر). هذا الأسلوب يظهر أنك قمت بتقييم الموقف وبنيت استنتاجك على معطيات، وهو ما نسميه في لغتنا العربية «الترجيح».likely و unlikely يتجاوز مجرد معرفة المعنى القاموسي؛ إنه يتعلق بفهم «النبرة» (Tone) والقدرة على صياغة التوقعات بطريقة دبلوماسية وعلمية. بالنسبة لنا كمتحدثين بالعربية، قد نميل أحياناً لاستخدام maybe أو perhaps بكثرة لأنها تشبه في استخدامها كلمات مثل «ربما» أو «لعل»، لكن في السياقات الاحترافية والأكاديمية الإنجليزية، تعتبر likely و unlikely أكثر قوة ودقة وتطوراً.likely و unlikely كصفات (Adjectives)، وهذا هو المفتاح لفهم تركيبهما. في اللغة العربية، نستخدم تعابير مثل «من المحتمل» أو «من المرجح»، وهي تعابير ظرفية أو اسمية. أما في الإنجليزية، فبما أنها صفات، فهي تحتاج دائماً إلى فعل مساعد (Linking Verb) يربطها بالفاعل، وغالباً ما يكون هذا الفعل هو to be (am, is, are, was, were).is أو are. قولك He likely to win خطأ فادح يعكس تأثراً مباشراً بقواعد العربية (L1 Transfer).He is likely to win.likely عن احتمالية حدوث تفوق الـ 50%، بينما تعبر unlikely عن احتمالية ضعيفة. ما يميزهما عن الظروف (Adverbs) مثل probably هو مرونتهما في التركيب الجملي، حيث يمكن استخدامهما في صيغتين أساسيتين سنتناولهما بالتفصيل في القسم القادم. تذكر دائماً: نحن لا نصف الفعل هنا فحسب، بل نصف «حالة الاحتمالية» المتعلقة بالفاعل أو بالحدث ككل.likely و unlikely.It كبداية للجملة، وهو يشبه في العربية قولنا «من المرجح أن...».- القاعدة:
It + be + likely/unlikely + that + clause - أمثلة:
It is likely that the market will stabilize soon.(من المرجح أن السوق سيستقر قريباً).It was unlikely that they would accept the offer.(كان من غير المرجح أن يقبلوا العرض).
- القاعدة:
Subject + be + likely/unlikely + to + infinitive - أمثلة:
The prices are likely to rise after Ramadan.(من المرجح أن ترتفع الأسعار بعد رمضان).She is unlikely to attend the Friday gathering.(من غير المرجح أن تحضر تجمع الجمعة).
It is likely that... | على الحدث ككل | It is likely that he will arrive late. |He is likely to... | على الفاعل ونزعته | He is likely to arrive late. |likely فقط. يمكنك التحكم في «درجة» الاحتمالية باستخدام الظروف:- للزيادة:
highly likely,very likely,extremely likely(مرجح جداً/بدرجة كبيرة). - للنقصان:
quite likely,more likely,less likely(أقل/أكثر ترجيحاً). - مع
unlikely: نستخدم غالباًhighly unlikelyأوextremely unlikelyللتعبير عن استحالة تقريبية.
likely و unlikely ليس مجرد خيار قواعدي، بل هو خيار استراتيجي في التواصل. إليك الحالات التي تبرز فيها براعتك:will أو التردد بـ maybe.Based on the current data, a recession is highly likely to occur.
unlikely يساعدك على قول «لا» أو رفض فكرة بطريقة مهذبة.- بدلاً من:
We won't finish on time.(لن ننتهي في الوقت المحدد - قاسية جداً). - قل:
It is unlikely that we will finish on time.(من غير المرجح أن ننتهي... - أكثر مهنية).
likely هي الكلمة المفضلة لوصف النتائج المتوقعة.The participants are likely to respond positively to the new stimulus.
It's unlikely to be crowded on a Tuesday morning.(من غير المرجح أن يكون المكان مزدحماً صباح الثلاثاء).
to be:- خطأ:
*The project likely to fail. - صواب:
The project is likely to fail.
likely كصفة و probably كظرف:probably ظرف يأتي قبل الفعل الرئيسي، أما likely فهي صفة تحتاج to be.- خطأ:
*It will likely rain.(مقبولة في العامية الأمريكية لكنها مرفوضة في الكتابة الرسمية C1). - صواب:
It is likely to rain.أوIt will probably rain.
to قبل الفعل:to لأن التركيب المقابل بالعربية «من المرجح أن (يفعل)» لا يحتوي على أداة مشابهة لـ to بنفس الوظيفة.- خطأ:
*He is likely win the race. - صواب:
He is likely to win the race.
likely وبدائلها لضمان الدقة المتوقعة في مستوى C1.Likely | 60-80% | رسمي/أكاديمي | صفة تحتاج to be وتوحي بدليل. |Probably | 60-80% | عام/يومي | ظرف يسبق الفعل ولا يحتاج to be. |Possible | 30-50% | عام | تعني أن الشيء «ممكن» وليس بالضرورة «مرجح». |Bound to | 90-100% | غير رسمي | تعني أن الأمر حتمي الوقوع (لا مفر منه). |Liable to | 50-70% | تحذيري | تستخدم غالباً للأمور السلبية (معرض لـ/ عرضة لـ). |He is likely to forget.(أتوقع ذلك بناءً على معرفتي به).He is bound to forget.(أنا متأكد تماماً أنه سينسى، كأنها طبيعة فيه).He is liable to forget.(أحذرك، فهو يميل للنسيان في مثل هذه المواقف).
likely كظرف (Adverb)؟He'll likely go ولكن في اختبارات مثل IELTS أو TOEFL أو في التقارير المهنية، التزم باستخدامها كصفة مع is/are لتظهر تمكنك من قواعد المستوى المتقدم.It is likely that... و It is possible that...؟Possible تعني أن الاحتمال موجود (حتى لو كان 1%)، بينما Likely تعني أن الاحتمال هو الأقوى والأرجح. إذا قلت لرئيسك في العمل It is possible فأنت لا تعطيه ثقة كبيرة، أما It is likely فهي تعطي انطباعاً بالثقة المبنية على تحليل.not likely أم unlikely؟unlikely أقوى وأكثر أناقة في الكتابة. He is not likely to come تعني ببساطة أنه قد لا يأتي، بينما He is unlikely to come تركز على ضعف احتمالية مجيئه كصفة ملازمة للموقف. في المستوى C1، نفضل استخدام الصفة المنفية بـ un- لأنها تعطي طابعاً لغوياً أكثر تماسكاً.likely مع الأفعال الماضية؟It is likely that he forgot his keys. (من المرجح أنه نسي مفاتيحه). لاحظ أن is تعبر عن استنتاجنا الآن عن حدث وقع في الماضي.likely و unlikely سيجعل صوتك في اللغة الإنجليزية يبدو أكثر حكمة واتزاناً، تماماً كالحكيم الذي يزن كلماته قبل نطقها في مجالس الكبار. يلّا، ابدأ باستخدامها في تقريرك القادم أو حتى في حديثك مع أصدقائك!Forming Predictions with 'Likely'
| Subject | Verb 'to be' | Likelihood | Infinitive/Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
|
I
|
am
|
likely
|
to attend
|
|
You
|
are
|
unlikely
|
to fail
|
|
It
|
is
|
highly likely
|
that it will rain
|
|
We
|
are
|
more than likely
|
to win
|
|
They
|
were
|
unlikely
|
to have known
|
|
The results
|
are
|
likely
|
to be significant
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contracted Form |
|---|---|
|
It is likely
|
It's likely
|
|
They are unlikely
|
They're unlikely
|
|
I am not likely
|
I'm not likely
|
Meanings
The words 'likely' and 'unlikely' function as adjectives in English to indicate the probability of an event occurring. They are essential for 'hedging'—the practice of making cautious or vague statements to avoid over-generalization.
Predictive Adjective
Used to describe the probability of a future action or state.
“A recession is likely in the coming months.”
“It is unlikely that the team will recover from this loss.”
Academic Hedging
Used in research and formal reports to present findings as probable rather than absolute truths.
“The data suggests that these results are likely to be replicated.”
“It is highly unlikely that the variables are unrelated.”
Adverbial Usage (US English)
In American English, 'likely' is often used as an adverb meaning 'probably'.
“They'll likely arrive around six.”
“He will most likely decline the offer.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (Personal)
|
Subj + be + likely + to + verb
|
She is likely to call later.
|
|
Affirmative (Impersonal)
|
It + be + likely + that + clause
|
It is likely that she will call.
|
|
Negative (Adjective)
|
Subj + be + unlikely + to + verb
|
They are unlikely to arrive on time.
|
|
Negative (Verb)
|
Subj + be + not + likely + to + verb
|
They are not likely to arrive on time.
|
|
Question
|
Be + Subj + likely + to + verb?
|
Are you likely to be home by six?
|
|
Modified
|
Subj + be + highly likely + to + verb
|
The price is highly likely to rise.
|
طيف الرسمية
It is highly likely that I shall be delayed. (Professional vs. Casual communication)
I am likely to be late. (Professional vs. Casual communication)
I'll likely be late. (Professional vs. Casual communication)
Prob gonna be late. (Professional vs. Casual communication)
The Probability Scale
High Probability
- Highly likely 90% chance
- More than likely 80% chance
Low Probability
- Unlikely 20% chance
- Highly unlikely 5% chance
Likely vs. Probably
Choosing Your Structure
Are you focusing on a person/thing?
أمثلة حسب المستوى
It is likely.
It is likely.
Is it likely?
Is it likely?
It is unlikely.
It is unlikely.
Very likely.
Very likely.
The train is likely to be late.
The train is likely to be late.
It is likely that he is at home.
It is likely that he is at home.
She is unlikely to come to the party.
She is unlikely to come to the party.
Are you likely to finish today?
Are you likely to finish today?
We are likely to see more rain this week.
We are likely to see more rain this week.
It's unlikely that they will change their minds.
It's unlikely that they will change their minds.
Is it likely to cost a lot of money?
Is it likely to cost a lot of money?
He is not likely to win the race.
He is not likely to win the race.
The government is likely to introduce new taxes.
The government is likely to introduce new taxes.
It is highly unlikely that the error was accidental.
It is highly unlikely that the error was accidental.
They are more than likely to accept the offer.
They are more than likely to accept the offer.
The project is unlikely to be completed on time.
The project is unlikely to be completed on time.
Such a scenario is highly likely to provoke a strong reaction.
Such a scenario is highly likely to provoke a strong reaction.
It is increasingly likely that the policy will be reversed.
It is increasingly likely that the policy will be reversed.
The findings are unlikely to have a significant impact on the field.
The findings are unlikely to have a significant impact on the field.
Is it not likely that the witness was mistaken?
Is it not likely that the witness was mistaken?
In all likelihood, the merger will proceed as planned.
In all likelihood, the merger will proceed as planned.
The candidate is singularly unlikely to garner enough support.
The candidate is singularly unlikely to garner enough support.
It remains highly likely that further interventions will be required.
It remains highly likely that further interventions will be required.
Were the results to be skewed, a re-evaluation would be likely.
Were the results to be skewed, a re-evaluation would be likely.
سهل الخلط
Learners use 'likely' as an adverb without a modifier, which sounds unnatural in some dialects.
Both can mean 'probable', but 'liable' often implies a negative or legal responsibility.
Learners use 'likely' when they are 100% certain.
أخطاء شائعة
I likely go.
I will probably go.
It likely.
It is likely.
Is likely?
Is it likely?
Very likely rain.
It is very likely to rain.
He is likely go.
He is likely to go.
It is likely that rain.
It is likely that it will rain.
I am unlikely for come.
I am unlikely to come.
He will likely to win.
He is likely to win.
It is likely him to win.
He is likely to win.
The likely result is it wins.
The likely result is that it will win.
He likely won't come.
He is unlikely to come.
It is likely that he comes tomorrow.
It is likely that he will come tomorrow.
The highly likelyhood of success.
The high likelihood of success.
It is unlikely for there to be a problem.
It is unlikely that there will be a problem.
أنماط الجُمل
Subject + be + likely + to + ___
It + is + ___ + likely + that + ___
___ + is + unlikely + to + ___
In all likelihood, ___
Real World Usage
Showers are likely in the afternoon.
We are likely to exceed our targets this quarter.
The treatment is likely to cause some fatigue.
They are unlikely to make a comeback at this stage.
It is likely that the results were influenced by sample size.
I'm likely to be a bit late, don't wait up!
Use 'Highly' for Impact
Watch the 'To'
The British Understatement
Impersonal vs Personal
Smart Tips
Switch from 'I think it will...' to 'It is likely that...'.
Use the 'Subject + be likely to' structure to keep the focus on the person.
Use 'more than likely' instead of just 'likely'.
Remember that 'Is it unlikely...?' is asking if something is NOT going to happen.
النطق
Likely
Two syllables. Stress on the first syllable.
Unlikely
Three syllables. Stress on the second syllable.
Rising-Falling on 'Likely'
He is LIKELY to win. ↘
Conveys a confident prediction.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
L-I-K-E-L-Y: Look Into Known Evidence, Logically Yielding (a prediction).
ربط بصري
Imagine a weather vane pointing towards a rain cloud. The vane represents 'likely'—it's not raining yet, but the evidence (the wind) suggests it will.
Rhyme
If it's likely to be, it's a future we see; if it's unlikely to occur, the vision is a blur.
Story
A cautious scientist named Dr. Hedge never says 'will'. When asked if the volcano will erupt, he says, 'It is likely to erupt, but it is unlikely to happen today.' He keeps his job because he is never wrong, just 'likely' right.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Write three predictions for your life in five years using 'likely to', 'unlikely to', and 'highly likely that'.
ملاحظات ثقافية
British speakers are very fond of hedging to avoid appearing too direct or aggressive. Using 'likely' is a key part of polite, professional disagreement.
In the US, 'likely' is frequently used as an adverb (e.g., 'He likely forgot'). This is less common in formal British English.
In global academic culture, using 'likely' is a sign of intellectual humility and scientific rigor.
From Middle English 'likly', meaning 'having the appearance of being true'.
بدايات محادثة
What are you likely to do this weekend?
Is it likely that AI will replace most jobs in the next decade?
Which team is likely to win the next World Cup?
In your opinion, is it likely that we will discover life on other planets soon?
مواضيع للكتابة اليومية
أخطاء شائعة
Test Yourself
The prices are ___ to rise next month.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
She likely to win the race.
I don't think it will rain.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Do you think they'll accept the offer? B: It's ___.
Identify the adjective:
likely / is / to / the / be / late / flight
Score: /8
تمارين تطبيقية
8 exercisesThe prices are ___ to rise next month.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
She likely to win the race.
I don't think it will rain.
Match the following:
A: Do you think they'll accept the offer? B: It's ___.
Identify the adjective:
likely / is / to / the / be / late / flight
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesThe new game update is ___ to fix many of the existing bugs.
He likely will be late because of traffic.
Which sentence uses 'unlikely' correctly?
Translate into English: 'Es muy probable que llueva mañana.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the sentence beginnings with appropriate endings:
The concert tickets are selling fast, so it's ___ that they'll be available much longer.
Our professor likely will give us an extension.
Select the correct sentence:
Translate: 'Es improbable que lo terminemos a tiempo.'
Put the words in the right order:
Score: /11
الأسئلة الشائعة (8)
Yes, especially in American English (e.g., 'He likely forgot'). However, in formal British English, it is better to use it as an adjective ('He is likely to have forgotten') or add a modifier ('He very likely forgot').
'Unlikely' is an adjective that feels a bit more formal and direct. 'Not likely' is simply the negation of the adjective 'likely'. Both are common, but 'unlikely' is preferred in academic writing.
Usually, yes. Since you are making a prediction, the 'that' clause needs a future marker like `will` or `is going to`. Example: `It is likely that he will win.`
Yes, 'likely' is generally considered more formal and objective, making it the preferred choice for reports, news, and academic papers.
Absolutely. 'Most likely' is a very common way to say 'almost certainly'. It can be used as an adverbial phrase: 'Most likely, we will stay home.'
This is a formal idiom that means 'almost certainly' or 'very probably'. It is a great phrase to use at the start of a sentence in C1-level writing.
Yes, by using the perfect infinitive: 'He is likely to have arrived by now.' This means it is probable that he arrived in the past.
Yes, it has a negative meaning (low probability), but it is grammatically affirmative. You don't need to add 'not' to 'unlikely'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Es probable que + subjunctive
Spanish requires the subjunctive mood.
Il est probable que + indicative/subjunctive
Nuance between probability and possibility affects mood.
Wahrscheinlich / Voraussichtlich
German prefers adverbs over the 'be likely to' adjective structure.
〜そうだ (sou da) / 〜らしい (rashii)
Japanese uses grammatical particles and suffixes rather than a 'to be' adjective structure.
من المحتمل أن (min al-muhtamal an)
Arabic uses a prepositional phrase structure.
很可能 (hěn kěnéng)
Chinese lacks the complex infinitive/clause distinction found in English.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
فيديوهات ذات صلة
07:45 Is it time to worry about bird flu?
06:27 Was Alexander the Great really that great? - Stephanie Honchell Smith
06:52 What happens to your brain without any social contact? - Terry Kupers
ALL Grammar for ADVANCED (C1 Level) English in 12 minutes in 2025
English with Lucy
This grammar structure will help you reach an advanced English level. C1/C2 English
To The Point English with Ben.
Related Grammar Rules
تعبيرات النجاح: بدايات سريعة ونتائج رائعة (Hit the Ground Running, Bear Fruit)
Overview هل بدأت يوماً لعبة فيديو جديدة وعرفت فوراً وظيفة كل زر؟ أو ربما بدأت وظيفة جديدة وأنهيت مشروعك الأول قبل الغدا...
التحوط في الإنجليزية: استخدام 'Probably', 'Perhaps', و 'Possibly'
### Overview إتقان التعبير عن درجة اليقين هو أحد الركائز الأساسية في اللغة الإنجليزية، ولكن عند الوصول إلى المستوى المت...
تعبيرات الصراع: القتال وصنع السلام (في خلاف شديد، دفن الأحقاد)
Overview هل حاولت يوماً اختيار مسلسل على نيتفليكس مع صديقك المفضل، لكنك أردت فيلم رعب مخيف وهو أراد فيلماً رومانسياً؟ جل...
تعبيرات التغيير الإنجليزية (قلب صفحة جديدة وتغيير جذري)
Overview هل وعدت نفسك يوماً بأنك ستبدأ أخيراً تطبيق التمارين الرياضية يوم الاثنين؟ ربما قمت بحذف جميع منشوراتك القديمة ع...
القرارات والتوقيت: متردد ومُتسرِّع
### Overview تعد التعابير الاصطلاحية (Idioms) بمثابة الجسر الذي ينقل المتعلم من مرحلة الطلاقة الوظيفية إلى مرحلة الطلاق...
