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.
Overview
likely와 unlikely는 이러한 개연성을 표현하는 가장 세련된 형용사입니다.probably나 maybe와 같은 부사에 의존하는 경향이 있습니다. 하지만 비즈니스 이메일, 학술 논문, 혹은 격식 있는 토론에서 likely와 unlikely를 자유자재로 구사하는 것은 여러분의 영어가 훨씬 더 전문적이고 원어민답게 들리게 하는 지름길입니다. 이 표현들은 단순한 추측을 넘어, 데이터나 상황에 근거한 '논리적 가능성'을 제시할 때 빛을 발합니다. 이번 강의에서는 이 두 단어를 활용해 미래를 예측하고 주장의 수위를 조절하는 고급 기법을 완벽하게 마스터해 보겠습니다.likely와 unlikely를 이해하는 첫 번째 열쇠는 이 단어들의 품사를 정확히 파악하는 것입니다. 많은 한국인 학습자들이 likely를 -ly로 끝나기 때문에 부사로 오해하곤 하지만, 표준 영어에서 이들은 기본적으로 형용사입니다.likely는 형용사이기 때문에 반드시 be 동사와 함께 쓰여 주어의 상태나 문장 전체의 가능성을 설명하는 서술적 형용사(Predicative Adjective) 역할을 합니다.- 한국어:
그 회사가 승소할 것 같다.
- 영어:
The company is likely to win the case.
likely는 '일어날 법한', '개연성이 있는'이라는 의미를 담고 있으며, unlikely는 그 반대인 '일어날 것 같지 않은'을 의미합니다. 이들은 단순히 maybe(아마도)보다 훨씬 더 강한 객관적 근거를 암시합니다. 즉, It is likely라고 말할 때는 «내 생각에 그럴 것 같아»라는 주관적 느낌보다는 «현재 상황이나 데이터를 볼 때 그럴 가능성이 70~80% 이상이다»라는 뉘앙스를 풍깁니다.It을 사용하는 구조에서 의미상의 주어를 문장의 진짜 주어로 끌어올려 더 간결하고 역동적인 문장을 만드는 방식이죠. 이는 C1 수준의 학습자가 반드시 익혀야 할 고급 통사 구조입니다.likely와 unlikely를 사용하는 패턴은 크게 두 가지로 나뉩니다. 상황과 강조하고 싶은 대상에 따라 선택해 보세요.It + be + likely/unlikely + that-절- Pattern:
It is [degree modifier] likely that + 주어 + 동사 - Example:
It is highly likely that the interest rates will rise again.(금리가 다시 인상될 가능성이 매우 높습니다.) - Point: 격식 있는 보고서나 뉴스에서 선호하는 방식입니다.
that은 생략 가능하지만, C1 수준의 격식 있는 글쓰기에서는 유지하는 것이 좋습니다.
Subject + be + likely/unlikely + to-부정사- Pattern:
Subject + be + [degree modifier] likely to + 동사원형 - Example:
The project is unlikely to be completed by Friday.(그 프로젝트가 금요일까지 완료될 가능성은 낮습니다.) - Point: 한국어의 «~는 ~할 것으로 보인다»와 가장 흡사한 구조입니다.
likely 앞에 다양한 부사를 붙여 가능성의 농도를 조절할 수 있습니다. 이는 Hedging의 핵심입니다.highly | 매우 (강한 확신) | It is highly likely... |quite / very | 상당히 / 아주 | They are very likely to... |more / less | 더 / 덜 (비교) | Women are more likely to... |most | 가장 (최상급) | The most likely outcome is... |hardly / extremely | 거의 ~않는 / 극도로 | It is extremely unlikely... |will을 쓰면 너무 단정적으로 들려 위험할 수 있습니다. 이때 likely를 사용하면 '근거 있는 추론'임을 명시할 수 있습니다.The market is likely to stabilize after the election.(선거 후에 시장이 안정될 것으로 보입니다.)It is unlikely that the competitor will lower their prices.(경쟁사가 가격을 인하할 가능성은 희박합니다.)
unlikely를 쓰면 충격을 완화할 수 있습니다.It is unlikely that we can offer a further discount.(추가 할인을 제공해 드리기는 어려울 것 같습니다.)- 한국어에서도 «안 돼요»라고 하기보다 «어려울 것 같습니다»라고 하는 것과 같은 이치입니다.
These findings are likely to have a significant impact on future research.(이 발견들은 향후 연구에 상당한 영향을 미칠 것으로 보입니다.)
probably 대신 사용하면 훨씬 세련된 느낌을 줍니다.Is it likely to rain?(비 올 것 같아?)He's likely at the cafe right now.(그는 지금 카페에 있을 거야. *이때 likely는 드물게 부사처럼 쓰인 경우입니다.)
likely를 일반 부사처럼 단독으로 사용하는 오류probably)는 부사라서 동사 앞에 바로 오지만, likely는 형용사입니다.- Incorrect:
*It will likely rain tomorrow.(비격식체에서는 쓰이기도 하지만, 원칙적으로는 틀립니다.) - Correct:
It is likely to rain tomorrow.또는It will probably rain tomorrow. - Why? 한국어 «아마 비가 올 거야»에서 '아마'의 위치에
likely를 그대로 대입하기 때문에 발생하는 오류입니다.
to를 빼먹는 오류be likely to 구조에서 to는 부정사를 이끄는 핵심 요소입니다.- Incorrect:
*The price is likely increase. - Correct:
The price is likely to increase. - Why? 한국어에서는 «가격이 오를 것 같다»처럼 동사 원형 뒤에 바로 어미가 붙기 때문에, 영어의
to를 불필요한 장식으로 느끼는 경우가 많습니다.
possible과 likely의 혼동- Problem:
It is possible that...은 1%의 가능성만 있어도 쓸 수 있습니다. 하지만It is likely that...은 최소 50% 이상의 높은 확률을 의미합니다. - Tip: 복권에 당첨되는 것은
possible하지만,likely하지는 않습니다. 이 차이를 명확히 인지해야 C1 수준의 정교한 표현이 가능합니다.
Will | 100% | 강한 확신, 의지, 단정적인 미래 |Be bound to | 95% | 틀림없이 ~할 것이다 (강한 확신, 필연) |Be likely to | 70-80% | 논리적 개연성, 객관적 추론 (C1 권장) |Probably | 60-70% | 부사로서 문장 중간에 위치, 구어체적 |Be expected to | 50-60% | 기대/예상치에 초점 (주관적일 수 있음) |Possible / May | 30-50% | 단순한 가능성, 확신이 낮음 |Unlikely | 10-20% | 일어날 것 같지 않음 (부정적 개연성) |Likely vs Probably의 결정적 차이:Probably는 말하는 사람의 주관적인 '생각'에 무게가 실립니다. 반면 Likely는 외부적인 '상황'이나 '증거'에 무게가 실립니다. 회사 보고서에서 We will probably win이라고 하는 것보다 We are likely to win이라고 하는 것이 훨씬 더 신뢰감을 주는 이유입니다.likely가 부사로 쓰이는 경우도 보았는데, 틀린 건가요?It will likely happen처럼 likely를 부사로 쓰기도 합니다. 하지만 C1 레벨의 학습자라면 격식 있는 글쓰기와 시험(TOEFL, IELTS, 비즈니스 레포트)을 위해 be likely to 또는 It is likely that 구조를 표준으로 익혀두는 것이 안전합니다. 부사로 쓸 때는 앞에 very나 most를 붙여 It will most likely happen처럼 쓰는 경우가 더 많습니다.unlikely 대신 not likely를 써도 되나요?unlikely라는 단일 형용사를 사용하는 것이 훨씬 더 세련되고 강한 인상을 줍니다. It's not likely to happen은 좀 더 부드러운 느낌이고, It's unlikely to happen은 좀 더 격식 있고 명확한 판단처럼 들립니다.be 동사의 시제만 바꾸면 됩니다. It was likely that they had met before. (그들이 이전에 만났을 가능성이 높았습니다.) 이처럼 과거의 상황에 대한 추측을 할 때도 매우 유용하게 쓰입니다.likely와 unlikely는 여러분의 영어를 '단순 전달'에서 '세련된 논증'으로 업그레이드해 줄 마법 같은 단어들입니다. 오늘 배운 두 가지 패턴(It is likely that / Subject is likely to)을 카페에서 친구와 대화할 때나 회사에서 이메일을 쓸 때 꼭 한 번씩 적용해 보세요. «~할 것 같아요»라는 한국어 사고방식을 영어의 형용사 구조로 전환하는 연습이 여러분을 진정한 영어 고수로 만들어 줄 것입니다. 쉽죠? 자, 이제 직접 문장을 만들어 볼 차례입니다!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
| 문장 구조 | 의미 및 용법 | Likely 예시 (높은 확률) | Unlikely 예시 (낮은 확률) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
It is + likely/unlikely + that절
|
상황이나 사건 전체의 발생 가능성
|
It is likely that prices will rise.
|
It is unlikely that they will agree.
|
|
주어 + be + likely/unlikely + to-부정사
|
특정 주어의 행동에 대한 가능성
|
She is likely to get the job.
|
He is unlikely to finish today.
|
|
It is + more/less likely + that절
|
상황의 가능성을 비교하여 표현
|
It is more likely that he's busy.
|
It is less likely that she heard.
|
|
주어 + be + more/less likely + to-부정사
|
주어의 행동 가능성을 비교
|
We are more likely to succeed.
|
They are less likely to complain.
|
|
명사 수식 형용사 (격식체)
|
그럴듯한, 예상되는 상태
|
A likely outcome of the talk.
|
An unlikely scenario for us.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
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)
Likely & Unlikely를 활용한 완곡어법(Hedging)
높은 확률
- Likely It is likely that...
낮은 확률
- Unlikely It is unlikely that...
구조 1
- It is + 형용사 + that절 It is likely that you'll succeed.
구조 2
- 주어 + be + 형용사 + to-부정사 You are likely to succeed.
Likely vs. Probably 비교
Likely/Unlikely 구조 선택 가이드
일반적인 상황이나 사건의 확률을 말하나요?
be 동사의 주어와 행동의 주어가 같나요?
주요 사용 상황
미래 예측
- • 일기 예보
- • 선거 결과
- • 주식 시장
기대 및 예상
- • 프로젝트 마감
- • 시험 결과
- • 사교 모임 계획
조심스러운 의견
- • 비즈니스 전략
- • 학술적 이론
- • 개인적인 조언
격식 있는 자리
- • 공식 보고서
- • 프레젠테이션
- • 연구 논문
수준별 예문
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.
혼동하기 쉬운
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.
자주 하는 실수
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.
문장 패턴
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!
형용사 vs 부사 구분하기
It is likely to rainvs
It will probably rain.
'to'를 절대 빼먹지 마세요
She is likely to win the race.
추측의 강도 세밀하게 조절하기
It is highly likely to succeed.
완곡한 표현의 미학
That is unlikely to happen soon.
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.
발음
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.
암기하기
기억법
L-I-K-E-L-Y: Look Into Known Evidence, Logically Yielding (a prediction).
시각적 연상
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
챌린지
Write three predictions for your life in five years using 'likely to', 'unlikely to', and 'highly likely that'.
문화 노트
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'.
대화 시작하기
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?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
Given the traffic, we are ___ to arrive late for the movie.
Find and fix the mistake:
It unlikely that the flight will be delayed.
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /3
연습 문제
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?
다음 문장을 영어로 번역하세요: '내일 비가 올 가능성이 매우 높습니다.'
단어들을 순서대로 배열하여 문장을 만드세요:
문장의 시작과 끝을 알맞게 연결하세요:
The concert tickets are selling fast, so it's ___ that they'll be available much longer.
Our professor likely will give us an extension.
번역하세요: '우리가 제시간에 그것을 끝낼 가능성은 낮습니다.'
단어들을 올바른 순서로 나열하세요:
Score: /11
자주 묻는 질문 (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
Learn These First
관련 동영상
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
likely / unlikely 제대로 쓰기 (be likely to / It is likely that)
라이브 아카데미
Probably vs Likely 차이점? 1분 만에 정리!
영어공부방
Related Grammar Rules
성공 관용구: 빠른 시작과 좋은 결과 (Hit the Ground Running, Bear Fruit)
Overview 새로운 비디오 게임을 시작하자마자 모든 버튼의 기능을 바로 파악한 적이 있나요? 아니면 새로운 직장에서 일을 시작...
영어 헤징: 'Probably', 'Perhaps', 'Possibly' 사용법
### Overview 영어 학습의 여정에서 C1 레벨에 도달했다는 것은 단순히 문장을 정확하게 구사하는 단계를 넘어, 상황에 따른 '...
갈등 관용구: 싸움과 화해 (불화하다, 화해하다)
Overview 절친과 넷플릭스에서 무엇을 볼지 결정하려고 하는데, 당신은 무서운 공포 영화를 원하고 친구는 유치한 로맨스 영화를...
영어 변화 관용구 (Turn Over a New Leaf & Sea Change)
Overview 월요일에 드디어 그 운동 앱을 시작하겠다고 자신에게 약속해 본 적이 있나요? 아니면 새롭게 시작하기 위해 오래된 소...
결정 및 타이밍: 결정을 못 내리는 & 성급하게 행동하는
### Overview 영어 학습의 여정에서 C1 레벨에 도달했다는 것은 단순히 문법적으로 옳은 문장을 만드는 단계를 넘어, 언어에 담...
