C1 – UNIT 4
ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY
Be made of (vp) to consist of or be formed from two or more things
Benefit rates (n) how much money the government gives to people who are ill, poor, not working, etc. depending on their situation
Booming industry (adj+n) a very successful industry that is increasing in size
Break up sth (v) to divide sth into different areas
Clutter sth up (v) to cover a surface or fill a place with things that are not tidy or well organised
Committed (adj) loyal and willing to give your time and energy to sth that you believe in
Constant pressure (adj+n) worried feelings all the time because you are always dealing with difficult situations
Cramped (adj) a cramped room , building is unpleasant because it is not big enough
Draw the line at sth (vp) to not allow sth
Dreariness (n) when sth is boring and makes you feel unhappy
Extensive experience/ knowledge (adj +n) a lot of experience or knowledge
Fierce competition (adj + n) very strong competition
Get your teeth into (vp) to start to deal with something with great energy and enthusiasm
Give somebody an/the edge over somebody (vp) to make someone slightly better than someone else
Give a false impression (vp) give somebody a wrong idea about what sth is like
A hotbed of sth (np) a place where there is a lot of a particular activity
In all fields (pp) in all areas of study or activity
In demand (pp) wanted or needed in large numbers
Kill a few birds with one stone (usually to kill two birds with one stone) (vp) to achieve several things at once
Right across the board (pp) affecting everyone or every part of something
Shrink (v) to become smaller, or to make something smaller
Stifling (adj) extremely hot and therefore unpleasant or difficult to breathe
Vast knowledge (adj +n) great knowledge
Workload (n) the amount of work that you have to do
GRAMMAR REFERENCE
EXPRESSING POSSBILITY, PROBABILITY AND CERTAINTY
POSSIBILITY
MODAL VERBS MAY MIGHT COULD
- USE MAY, MAY NOT, MIGHT, MIGHT NOTOR COULD (BUT NOT COULD NOT) TO SAY IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING IS TRUE, HAPPENS OR WILL HAPPEN BUT WE DON´T KNOW:
THE PHOTOCOPIER ISN´T WORKING-THERE MAY BE SOME PAPER STUCK INSIDE
- USE COULD TO EMPHASISE THAT THERE ARE OTHER POSSIBILITIES IN ADDITION TO THE ONE YOU ARE MENTIONING:
JOHN COULD ARRIVE SOMETIME THIS AFTERNOON. (OR THIS EVENING OR TOMORROW)
- USE MIGHT TO EMPHASISE THAT THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO POSSIBLE:
I MIGHT GO TO THE PARTY. (OR I MIGHT NOT)
- USE MAY, MIGHT, COULD+WELL/EASILY TO SAY SOMETHING IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY:
THE WEATHER MAY WELL IMPROVE BY THE WEEKEND.
I´D BETTER WRITE IT DOWN OTHERWISE I COULD EASILY FORGET.
- MAY, MIGHT, COULD+POSSIBILITY/CONCEIVABLY OR JUST MIGHTTO SAY SOMETHING IS A REMOTE POSSIBILITY:
MY BOSS COULD CONCEIVABLY CHANGE HER MIND AND GIVE ME A PAY INCREASE.
I JUST MIGHT HAVE TIME TO FINISH THAT REPORT THIS WEEK.
OTHER WORDS AND PHRSES TO EXPRESS POSSIBILITY:
- IT IS (JUST ABOUT) POSSIBLE THAT+SENTENCE:
IT IS JUS ABOUT POSSIBLE THAT WE WILL HAVE FINISHED THE PROJECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
- THERS IS A/SOME/A SLIGHT/LITTLE POSSIBILITY THAT+SENTENCE:
THERE IS A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY THAT THE WHOLE PROJECT WILL BE ABANDONED.
OTHER WORDS AND PHRASES TO EXPRESS STRONGER POSSIBILITY:
- IT IS QUITE/VERY POSSIBLE THAT+SENTENCE:
IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT NONE OF OUR CLIENTS WILL BUY THE PRODUCT.
- THERE IS A GOOD/STRONG/SERIOUS POSSIBILITY THAT+SENTENCE:
THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT OUR OFFICES ARE GOING TO BE MOVED.
PROBABILITY
MODAL VERBS
- USE SHOULD TO SAY THAT YOU EXPECT SOMETHING IS OR WILL BE TRUE:
YOU SHOULD HAVE NO DIFFICULTY LANDING A JOB AS YOUR LEVEL OF ENGLISH IS SO GOOD.
OTHER WORDS AND PHRASES
- (VERY/QUITE/HIGHLY) LIKELY+INFINITIVE: HE IS NOT LIKELY TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE AGAIN.
- THERE IS LITTLE/SOME/EVERY/A STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF+VERB+ -ING/NOUN:
I´D SAY THERE IS A STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING A GOOD DEGREE.
- THERE IS LITTLE/SOME/ASTRONG LIKELIHOOD THAT+SENTENCE:
THERE IS LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT WE WILL MEET OURDEADLINE.
EXPRESSING POSSBILITY, PROBABILITY AND CERTAINTY
CERTAINTY AND UNCERTAINTY
MODAL VERBS
- USE MUST (AFFIRMATIVE) AND CAN´T/COULDN´T NEGATIVE) TO EXPRESS THINGS THAT YOU FEEL CERTAIN ABOUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE EVIDENCE: THEY MUST BE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY WITH SO MANY CUSTOMERS.
HE DIDN´T KNOW WHAT WE WERE TAKING ABOUT, SO HE CAN´T HAVE READ OUR LETTER.
OTHER WORDS AND PHRASES
- BOUND+INFINITIVE: THEIR CARS ARE UNRELIABLE AND THEY ARE BOUND TO BREAK DOWN.
NOTE: DON´T USE CAN´T OR MUSN´T TO EXPRESS POSSIBILITY, PROBABILITY AND CERTAINTY.
NOTES ON MODAL VERBS:
- TALK ABOU THINGS HAPPENING NOW, IN PROGRESS OR ARRANGED FOR THE FUTURE USE A CONTINUOUS FORM.
MAY, MIGHT, MUST ETC. + BE DOING: YOU MUST ALL BE WONDERING WHY I HAVE CALLED THIS MEETING.
- WE ALSO USE THE CONTINUOUS WITH MODALS OF POSSIBILITY (MAY, MIGHT, COULD) IN CONTRAST TO THE SIMPLE FORM TO EXPRESS A WEAKER POSSIBILITY¨WE MIGHT BE GOING OUT LAER. (WEAKER POSSIBILITY)
- TO TALK ABOUT THINGS IN THE PAST USE MAY, MIGHT, MUST ETC. + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE (DONE BEEN, ETC.):
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN TIRED AFTER YOUR TRIP.
- TALK ABOUT ACTIONS THAT TOOK PLACE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME IN THE PAST, USE MAY, MIGHT, MUST, ETC + HAVE BEEN DOING: JOHN WASN´T IN WHEN I CALLED – HE MAY HAVE BEEN DOING THE SHOPPING.
WORDS TO INDICATE CERTAINTY
TRULY, SINCERELY, GENUINELY, SURELY, ABSOLUTELY, CERTAINLY WITHOUT DOUBT