English – Expressing Certainty and Uncertainty – BAC Literary Stream

English – Expressing Certainty and Uncertainty – BAC Literary Stream

Being able to express different degrees of certainty is important for academic writing and the BAC exam. You need to use appropriate modal verbs and adverbs.

Expressing Certainty (100% sure):

• Present: “He is at home.” / “He must be at home.” (logical deduction)
• Past: “He was at home.” / “He must have been at home.” (logical deduction)
• Future: “He will be at home.” / “He is sure to be at home.”

Expressing Probability (likely – 60-90% sure):

• Present: “He should be at home.” / “He ought to be at home.” / “He is likely to be at home.” / “He may/might be at home.”
• Past: “He should have been at home.” / “He may have been at home.” / “He is likely to have been at home.”
• Future: “He will probably be at home.” / “He is likely to be at home.”

Expressing Possibility (30-50% sure):

• Present: “He could be at home.” / “He may be at home.” / “It is possible that he is at home.”
• Past: “He could have been at home.” / “He may have been at home.”
• Future: “He could be at home later.” / “It may be possible.”

Expressing Uncertainty (less than 30% sure):

• Present: “He might be at home.” / “I doubt that he is at home.” / “It is unlikely that he is at home.”
• Past: “He might have been at home.” / “I doubt that he was at home.”
• Future: “He might come.” / “I doubt that he will come.”

Expressing Impossibility (0% sure):

• Present: “He can’t be at home.” / “He couldn’t be at home.” / “It’s impossible that he is at home.”
• Past: “He can’t have been at home.” / “He couldn’t have been at home.”
• Future: “He won’t be at home.” / “There’s no chance that he will be at home.”

BAC Exercise:

Complete with the appropriate modal:
1. The light is on. He ___ be at home. (certainty)
2. He ___ have missed the bus. That’s why he’s late. (probability)
3. She ___ be serious! That’s impossible!
4. They ___ arrive tomorrow, but I’m not sure.
5. You ___ have finished by now. You’ve been working all day.

Answers: 1. must, 2. may/might/could, 3. can’t, 4. might/could, 5. must

Similar Lessons

• English – Modal Verbs: Can, Could, May, Might, Must, Should
• English – Expressing Obligation and Prohibition

📍 دروس مشابهة

• English – Expressing Cause and Result: So, Such, Too, Enough – BAC
• English – Prepositions of Time, Place, and Movement – BAC
• English Grammar and Writing — Causative Verbs: Have, Get, Let, Make — BAC Practice Part 14 — 3rd Year Secondary — Literary Stream