Expressions of certainty and doubt

🔊 المعلّمة تقرأ لك

« They prefer buying organic food, of course. » « I imagine they will certainly disappear. » « I suppose that those who are against GMFs will probably win the debate. » In one short interview, the speakers are sure, then not sure, then half sure — and the listener has to follow. How do you show how sure you are, from certainty down to doubt?

🎓في نهاية هذا الدرس ستكون قادرا على:

التعبير عن اليقين بـ ⁦certainly · of course · as a matter of fact⁩، وعن الاستنتاج بـ ⁦must⁩
التعبير عن الترجيح بـ ⁦probably · it is probable that · it is likely that⁩، ونفيه بـ ⁦it is unlikely that · it is improbable that · it is impossible that⁩
التعبير عن الظنّ والشكّ بـ ⁦I imagine · I suppose · there is no strong evidence⁩
إعادة صياغة جملة لتعبّر عن درجة اليقين المطلوبة

🔑يفترض هذا الدرس أنّك تتقن:

الأفعال الناقصة للاحتمال ⁦may · might · could · can⁩
المستقبل بـ ⁦will⁩
الجملة التابعة بـ ⁦that⁩ ⁦(it is probable that …)⁩

1. How sure are you?

درجات اليقين : يقين ثمّ ترجيح ثمّ احتمال، وتحتها الظنّ والشكّ حين لا يملك المتكلّم دليلا.

English grades what we say according to how sure we are. Categorical certainty — certainly, of course, as a matter of fact: « the eating of organic food will certainly keep increasing ». In the negative: it is impossible that … Probability — probably (subject + probably + verb, or will probably + verb), it is probable that …, it is likely that …: « those who are against GMFs will probably win the debate ». In the negative: it is unlikely that …, it is improbable that … Below come possibility and remote possibility — may, can, might, could. When the speaker has no proof, he presents his idea as a supposition: I imagine …, I suppose … And must can express a deduction: « this preference must be due to … » — « That's a good deduction », answers the market researcher.

An interview on organic food and GMFs — extracts

Market researcher: They prefer buying organic food, of course. Journalist: I imagine this preference must be due to the fact that unlike conventional food and GMFs, organic food contains no pesticide residues and no antibiotics. Market researcher: That's a good deduction. […] So the eating of organic food will certainly keep increasing as long as people are worried about food safety. As a matter of fact, more and more farmers are turning to organic farming these days. Journalist: Let's come back to the GMFs. I imagine they will certainly disappear partly because of the bad publicity given to them in recent years. Market researcher: Well, they may or they may not disappear. […] Journalist: I suppose that those who are against the farming of GMFs will probably win the debate now that the Prime Minister has said « GMFs might be harmful to human health and the environment ». Market researcher: Hold on a minute, the Prime Minister said « might »… There is no strong evidence on either side of the question. Journalist: So I suppose the debate could continue for some time yet.

From certainty to doubt

How sure?	Expressions
categorical certainty	certainly · of course · as a matter of fact · must (a deduction) · negative: it is impossible that …
probability	probably · it is probable that … · it is likely that … · negative: it is unlikely that … · it is improbable that …
possibility · remote possibility	may · can · might · could
supposition, doubt	I imagine … · I suppose … · there is no strong evidence …

With will, the adverb comes after it: will certainly, will probably.

Task 1 — The two speakers do not speak with the same certainty. Find A. the sentences in which the journalist presents a supposition; B. the sentences in which the market researcher is certain.

استخرج الجمل التي يظنّ فيها الصحفيّ، والجمل التي يجزم فيها الباحث.

A. The journalist: « I imagine this preference must be due to … » · « I imagine they will certainly disappear … » · « I suppose that those who are against … will probably win the debate » · « So I suppose the debate could continue … ».
B. The market researcher: « They prefer buying organic food, of course. » · « the eating of organic food will certainly keep increasing » · « As a matter of fact, more and more farmers are turning to organic farming ».

Notice the journalist's slip: « I imagine they will certainly disappear » — a supposition that claims a certainty. About GMFs, the market researcher refuses any certainty: « There is no strong evidence on either side of the question. »

Task 2 — Place each sentence on the scale. A. GMFs will certainly disappear. · B. Those who are against the farming of GMFs will probably win the debate. · C. It is unlikely that GMFs will disappear soon. · D. They may or they may not disappear.

ضع كلّ جملة في درجتها من السلّم.

A. categorical certainty — will certainly.
B. probability — will probably.
C. probability, in the negative — it is unlikely that.
D. possibility — may, may not.

2. Change the degree of certainty

أعد صياغة الجملة لتعبّر عن الدرجة المطلوبة : ترجيح أو يقين.

Task 3 — Rewrite the sentences below to express the notion given in brackets. Use appropriate expressions. There are many possibilities.

A. (probability) Most Algerian consumers will boycott products which are not environmentally safe soon. B. (certainty) Food safety may be one of the major problems in the next decade. C. (certainty) In the future people might not eat as much processed food as they do now.

Task 3 — possible answers

إجابات ممكنة : المهمّ أن توافق العبارةُ الدرجةَ المطلوبة.

A. Most Algerian consumers will probably boycott products which are not environmentally safe soon. — or: It is likely that most Algerian consumers will boycott …
B. Food safety will certainly be one of the major problems in the next decade.
C. In the future, people will certainly not eat as much processed food as they do now.

In B and C, may and might disappear: a certainty cannot keep a modal of possibility.

Task 4 — Rewrite each sentence twice: once to express certainty, once to express doubt. A. Organic food will become cheaper. · B. Consumers will read labels more carefully.

أعد كتابة كلّ جملة مرّتين : مرّة بيقين، ومرّة بشكّ.

A. Organic food will certainly become cheaper. — I suppose organic food will become cheaper.
B. Consumers will certainly read labels more carefully. — There is no strong evidence that consumers will read labels more carefully.

Do this alone, in writing. Write five predictions about the food people will eat in ten years' time: one certain, one probable, one improbable, one possible, and one supposition. Then read them again: does each expression match how sure you really are?

اكتب وحدك خمسة توقّعات عن غذاء الناس بعد عشر سنوات، بخمس درجات مختلفة من اليقين.

A model answer

In ten years' time, food will certainly be more expensive. More farmers will probably turn to organic farming. It is unlikely that fast food restaurants will disappear. Labels may give more information about additives. I suppose people will cook less and less at home.

In the exam, certainty and doubt are tested in the text exploration: you rewrite a sentence to express a given degree — certainty, probability, possibility — or you say what an expression of the text shows about the writer's opinion. Have three things ready: ① the scale — certainly, probably, may, might; ② the expressions with that — it is probable that, it is likely that, it is unlikely that, it is impossible that; ③ the place of the adverb — will certainly, will probably. The frequent mistake: mixing two degrees in one sentence — ✗ « I imagine they will certainly disappear » — choose the one you mean.

What I keep — To show how sure I am, I choose my degree: certainly, of course, as a matter of fact for a certainty (negative: it is impossible that); probably, it is probable that, it is likely that for a probability (negative: it is unlikely that, it is improbable that); may, can, might, could below. When I have no proof, I say so: I imagine, I suppose, there is no strong evidence.

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