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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > LIKELY or PROBABLE?
LIKELY or PROBABLE?
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pilarmham
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LIKELY or PROBABLE?
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Could you help me out, please?
Can you tell me if likely and probable (and unlikely-improbable) are exact terms? Can they be used indifferently?
Thank you!!
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16 Feb 2013
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ueslteacher
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http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/likely
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/probable
Maybe the native-speakers will explain it better. Sophia |
16 Feb 2013
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yanogator
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I would say that they are interchangeable, except in certain expressions that traditionally use one or the other. The only one that comes to mind immediately is "highly likely". I think that in Pygmalion and My Fair Lady, Eliza Doolittle uses the phrase "not bloody likely", and she definitely wouldn �t say "not bloody probable". (Forgive the strong language) Bruce |
16 Feb 2013
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pilarmham
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Thanks a lot, Sophia and Bruce! 
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17 Feb 2013
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