Understanding ‘Likely’: A Key Word for IELTS Success
Learn the meaning, usage, and common mistakes associated with the word ‘likely’. This video covers its function as both an adjective and adverb, provides examples, and offers tips to help IELTS learners aiming for a band score of 5.5 and above improve their English expression.
Imagine you’re planning a picnic this weekend. Your friend asks if it will rain. You check the weather forecast and see a sixty percent chance of rain.
How would you respond? You might say it’s likely to rain. Today, we’re going to learn about the word likely, an important term for IELTS learners aiming for a band score of 5.5 and above.
Word type: Likely is primarily used as an adjective, but it can also function as an adverb.
Meaning: As an adjective, likely means probable or expected.
It describes something that has a good chance of happening or being true. As an adverb, it means probably.
Word history: The word likely comes from Old English and is related to the word like. It originally meant having a likeness or being similar to something.
Antonyms: Some opposites of likely include unlikely, improbable, and doubtful.
Synonyms: Words with similar meanings to likely are probable, possible, and expected.
Examples use in sentences: Let’s look at how to use likely in different contexts. It’s likely to rain tomorrow, so bring an umbrella.
She is the most likely candidate to win the election. The team will likely finish in the top three this season.
Common errors in use: One common mistake is confusing likely with probably. Remember, likely is usually an adjective, while probably is always an adverb.
For example, say It’s likely that he will come, not It’s likely he will come. Another error is using likely with will.
Instead of saying He will likely be late, it’s better to say He is likely to be late. To improve your IELTS score, practice using likely in your speaking and writing.
Think about future events or situations and describe how likely they are to happen. The more you use this word correctly, the more natural it will become in your English expression.
