eng7-6.10· Unit 6· ~17 min

Future Possibility and Prediction

May, might and could for possibilities; will for promises and predictions

Use may, might or could before a base verb to present something as possible now or in the future: The film could get an Oscar. For a negative possibility, the printed forms are may not or might not plus a base verb. To ask about a possibility, the lesson uses an opening frame such as 'Do you think ...?' or 'How do you think ...?' rather than beginning the question with may or might. Use will plus a base verb when the speaker makes a promise or states a future prediction. The word that can join promise, think, understand, see or know to the following clause. Several modals may fit, so follow the meaning and named modal requested in each exercise.

Key terms

possibility — something presented as possible now or in the future
negative possibility — the possibility that something does not happen, formed here with may not or might not
prediction — a statement about what the speaker thinks will happen in the future
promise — a commitment by the speaker, expressed in the lesson with will or will not
base verb — the unchanged verb form after a modal, such as get, join or be
question frame — an opening such as 'Do you think' or 'How do you think' before a possibility clause
that-clause — a clause introduced by that after verbs such as promise, think or know
Printed meanings and forms
Requested meaningFormModel
present or future possibilitymay / might / could + base verbThe film could get an Oscar.
negative possibilitymay not / might not + base verbOlder people might not like it.
promisewill / will not + base verbI promise that I will join you next time.
future predictionwill + base verbThe film will be interesting for the young.

The cue in the task identifies the requested meaning; the verb after each modal stays in the base form.

Questions about possibility
Printed framePossibility clauseComplete question
Do you thinkthe film may get an awardDo you think the film may get an award?
How do you thinkthe weather might be tomorrowHow do you think the weather might be tomorrow?

The lesson marks direct may/might inversion as the form not to use for these questions.

Joining two clauses with that
Reporting wordsConnectorFollowing clause
promise / think / understand / see / knowthatsubject + modal + base verb
I promisethatI will join you next time.
I thinkthatthe film may get an award.

That links the reporting clause to the message clause.

✎Build a possibility
  1. 1Meaning: The result is possible, not presented as a promise or prediction.
  2. 2Modal: Choose one requested possibility modal: could.
  3. 3Verb: Add the base verb: The film could get an Oscar.
✎Make the possibility negative
  1. 1Start: I may watch the game describes a possibility.
  2. 2Place not: Put not after may: may not.
  3. 3Keep the base verb: After may not, keep the base form watch, not watches or to watch: I may not watch the game.
✎Form the printed question
  1. 1Frame: Begin with 'Do you think'.
  2. 2Clause: Add subject + modal + base verb: 'the film may get an award'.
  3. 3Complete: Do you think the film may get an award?
✎Identify a promise
  1. 1Cue: The words 'I promise' show a commitment.
  2. 2Connector: Use optional 'that' to join the clauses.
  3. 3Promise clause: I promise that I will join you next time.
⚠️Caution

May, might and could can all express possibility in the printed lesson. If a task requests one of them by name, another possibility modal may be grammatical but is not the requested form.

🚫Common mistake

Keep the next verb in the base form: could get, may be and might like; do not add to or -s.

🚫Common mistake

For negative possibility in this lesson, use the printed forms may not or might not followed by a base verb.

💡Note

Will serves two printed jobs here. Use the context cue to decide whether the speaker is making a promise or stating a prediction.

💡Note

Use the printed question frame: 'Do you think the film may get an award?', not modal-subject inversion.

Rules

  1. 1Use may, might or could plus a base verb for a present or future possibility.
  2. 2Do not add to or an -s ending after may, might or could; the following verb stays in its base form.
  3. 3Use may not or might not plus a base verb for a negative possibility.
  4. 4Ask about a possibility with a frame such as 'Do you think ... may ...?' or 'How do you think ... might ...?' in the printed pattern.
  5. 5Use will plus a base verb when the speaker makes a promise.
  6. 6Use will plus a base verb when the speaker states a future prediction.
  7. 7Use will not or won't plus a base verb for a negative promise when that is the requested meaning.
  8. 8That may join promise, think, understand, see or know to a following clause.
  9. 9Read the meaning cue before selecting a modal: possibility, negative possibility, promise and prediction are distinct tasks.

Practice

10 easy · 10 medium · 10 hard

Up to 10 random questions per test

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